behind the Slow Xmas compilation with Ben Hosley
Oh my god, it's Christmas time again. For me that means rewatching all my fave movies, including the Jim Carrey How the Grinch Stole Christmas (real ones understand đ) plus bumping plenty of Vince Guaraldi Trio, bringing my baby to meet Santa at the beautiful Americana at Brand lifestyle center in Glendale, and reading gift guides full of stuff I will never buy.
It's also SLOW XMAS TIME. Every year since 2020, Ben Hosleyâproducer of the great podcast Blank Check with Griffin & David, dirt-forward fashion designer, porch influencerâspearheads the making of a compilation of low-tempo holiday tunes under the series title Slow Xmas, on the self-created label Bone Sound Inc. ("KLONK!"). As a child of the A Very Special Christmas compilations with their festive Keith Haring covers, I respect when anyone takes the time to handcraft an ongoing holiday audio experience for the beleaguered aesthete-turned-consumer, especially one that inspires people to slow down and chill the hell out. Just like The Waitresses in "Christmas Wrapping," I don't think I have the energy to add to my already mad rush, babe!
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Also, Slow Xmas has gone through a fascinating evolution over the years, beginning with spliced and diced vaporwave Christmas songs (ed. note - my husband Chris contributed to Slow Xmas 0, haha) then gradually expanding to covers and even original songs by great artists like Dan Boeckner, Sad13, and Fire-Toolz. This year's Slow Xmas includes dreamy, leisurely, and perhaps even deliciously sopoforic offerings from Death Valley Girls, semiwestern, and Shannon Lay.
I sent some Qs about the Slow Xmas journey to Ben and he was kind enough to answer. Ho...ho........hooooooooo...
[Molly Mary O'Brien] First, would love to hear the background of how your Slow Xmas journey began, and maybe a little about what work goes into the production of a compilation on your end.
[Ben Hosley] The genesis of this project began with a few different influences. Over the years collecting vinyl I've picked up a couple of 12" records pressed at 45 rpm. And so naturally I'd be smoking weed and would try playing them at 33 1/3. Not always, but some of the songs would transform into this new, heavier shape that just hit for me. I remember the single releases for Misfits "Die Die My Darling" and Soft Cell "Tainted Love / Where Did Our Love Go" were both favs for the occasional extra slow play.
And then in the 2010s I got really into vaporwave. Now say what you will about the subgenre. I fully acknowledge that an '80s pop sample pitched down and slowed to a crawl with some added reverb and layered rain sounds is not for everyone! Many of my friends would refer to it as my "nightmare" music. But I was really enamored with it. Then in Christmas of 2016 I was in Miami visiting with my girlfriend at the timeâs family and I was so stoned and bored and I couldn't find any vaporwave holiday music?! So I just started throwing various Christmas classics into ProTools and slowing them fuckers way down and adding other various sonic elements. I had so much fun making them but didnât have any plans to share them publicly.
Fast forward to winter of 2020 we are all living in hell and I decided to distract myself with a special project. Why not release some of the chopped and screwed tracks I made a while back and put out a weirdo holiday album? So I reached out to some friends and asked them to contribute a song. Out of that came Slow Xmas 0.
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In my role as the executive producer I take on the various costs and back end annoyances so that the artists can just focus on making great work. For the last few years Iâve been working with a publicist named Justin Schmidt. Justin helps with initial artist outreach and promoting the project. I also commission independent visual artists to create the album covers and collab on design concepts.
The Slow Xmas compilations have evolved over timeâfrom my understanding, the first one was more of a vaporwave / remix type of deal, and then subsequent Slow Xmases featured actual covers of Christmas classics, and now this year's comp looks to have a good deal of original songs. How do you feel about the evolution of the Slow Xmas experience?
Yeah the 2020 version "zero" was far more scrappy and directly referenced vaporwave. But in 2021 when I decided to put together another comp the natural next evolution was to present some covers that were actually performed slow. I reached out to a few different artists, including Sad13, to see if they were up to it. Not only were folks down to contribute but to my genuine surprise and delight the overwhelming response was really positive! Bands enjoyed having the simple limitation. That encouraged me to keep going. And so as the years went on I tried to keep experimenting with how the simple prompt could be realized. On Slow Xmas 2, I got Roman Mars from the podcast 99% Invisible to do a spoken word track by SLOWLY reading "A Visit from St. Nicholas."
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With the more albums produced I tried to limit repeating the same covers and started to suggest instead doing an original song. There's been a few originals spread out across past albums including "Shaktipat w/ the Lord" by Fire-Toolz feat. Murrky Waters on Slow Xmas 4 which is incredible.
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But for 2025, what seemed to interest most of the artists was to create a new work based on the vibe that had been cultivated over the years, which I am really proud of helping to have grown.
I was listening to this year's compilation and thinking about the utility of slow Christmas songs...some Christmas songs are rather hyper, and when you consider their repetitive ubiquity, especially in retail zones and public spaces, it can all feel like a bit much sometimes. Do you think Slow Xmas is making the case for a chiller and more relaxed holiday season?
I totally agree. We are all desensitized from hearing these songs in the background that the (mostly) joyous ideas behind them donât even register anymore. Then thereâs the Christian ass element to a lot of them which I fundamentally reject. What I love about Slow Xmas is how it sets a mood. Itâs a chance to experience a song in a new light. Really hear the lyrics and establish a new memory. It invites you to lean in and really listen and feel present.
Are there any particular highlights from this year's compilation you would like to shout out, and anything about them you especially love?
As far as covers I am particularly fond of Shannon Layâs cover of "Iâll Be Home for Christmas." Itâs so beautifully executed. The sparse arrangement enhances her vocal performance and makes the longing of the lyrics even more powerful. For originals, I think semiwesternâs "merry xmas mary" captures the holiday spirit but with a very contemporary 2025 sound. And of course both are slow.
You're releasing on vinyl this year! That's sick. How did that make things different for the production?
To help make a thing that I can hold in my hands is such a realized dream for me. The big difference is timing. You need to deliver the mastered tracks so much further in advance to allow for production. This year I had help from co-producers, Izzy Cummings and Justin. We had to get everything completed and handed off by August including the final album artwork. Now if making the vinyl wasnât hard enough, I also decided to challenge ourselves to create an image using as many analog elements as possible. So the ice skating figure is a wood sculpture I commissioned. It was carved and painted by artist Matthew Rosenquist. And then it was shot in a studio using practical elements like tinsel and broken CDs. Iâm really proud of how it came out!
Outside the Slow Xmas zone, what is your favorite Christmas song in general and why?
Judy Garlandâs version of âHave Yourself a Merry Little Christmasâ kills me. Itâs so sad and human.
I've always loved the holiday break and getting to spend time with friends and family. The boozy merriment! Having off from work or school or whatever. But as much as the season is about togetherness, speaking as an only child and loner 4 life, I also find the winter to be a time for seclusion and contemplation. So when I hear "Little Christmas" I feel the sense of longing for the time that has passed and those Iâve lost. But itâs also such a powerful encapsulation of feeling small and alone and just floating in time. Just muddling through somehow. Maybe its sick but I like feeling that!
What is your least favorite?
Ok Iâm also a stone cold hater. I'm not proud. But its just my predisposition. So there is so much awful holiday music but off the top of my head I'll say âDo They Know It's Christmasâ or the one by The Eagles fucking suck chestnuts. And literally anything performed by Pentatonix is from hell.
What is on your Christmas list this year?
So Iâve been pretty good this year. I want an elaborate kite. A really weird and intense one.
Thank you Ben! Get into Slow Xmas 5 here and cop the vinyl here.
And thanks for reading I Enjoy Music! If you like it, tell a friend.
