Our latest batch of playlists come courtesy of the bedroom producers featured in the new issue of HEROINE. Though their DIY approaches and sonic styles are miles apart, they’re united by the fact they don’t do music just ‘cos. It’s hardwired to the brain. Sit back, take a load off, and listen to the tracks that make these kids tick. Here’s NYC-based Rachel Trachtenburg aka Wooing on playlist duties. 

At the age of nine, Rachel Trachtenburg made her TV debut on Late Night with Conan O’Brien as drummer and back-up vocalist of her family band, the Trachtenberg Family Slideshow Players. Utterly unfazed, she held a Kim Gordon- esque expression of indifference as her dad Jason sang about random characters in old photos he’d found at garage sales.

In the thirteen years since, the Seattle-born polymath has built a CV that reads like a 21st Century renaissance woman. Stretching a 24-hour day to its breaking point, Trachtenburg has balanced work across music, acting and modelling with her zealous passion for political and animal activism – from speaking out against New York’s Mayor Bloomberg to hosting her own culturally-engaged radio show with friend and Sunflower Bean frontwoman Julia Cumming.

Trachtenburg’s latest music project, Wooing, is a dedicated medium. Tuned to a stripped back mantra, “Do what will make me happy, as opposed to what will keep me busy,” the 22-year- old is concentrating her passion and, like Dr Frankenstein with a guitar, she’s cutting and pasting her eclectic influences to realise a grunge- psych monster that cannot be caged.

Rachel’s picks:

Pet Carrot by Palehound
“A sound guy put this on after one of our sets and I’ve been listening to it for months since.”

Got A Feeling by The Mamas & The Papas
“Long time fall favourite.”

Why Can’t I Tough It by The Buzzcocks
“Whenever I’m in a crap mood and I’m riding a crowded train this is my go to song. Pulls me right out <3“

I Never Wanna See You Again by Quasi 
“Quasi was the reason I started playing drums. They are still one of my favourite bands, sixteen years later.”

I Like To Be Alone by Rachel Trachtenburg
“You said we have to put one of our own songs on this list. Since we don’t have any up online yet this is second best…”

Guitarist JR’s picks

My Male Curiosity by Kid Creole
“Kid Creole had this great, influential look and live show. This song is really catchy and sort of cartoonish. It’s also a little socially retrogressive, topically, but whatever. I can’t get it out of my head these days.”

3rd Stone from the Sun (Live at El Mocambo 1983) by Stevie Ray Vaughan 
“Stevie Ray Vaughan rules, but I don’t enjoy his studio albums much. The live recordings are great. Punk, even. He could always play a torrent of insane blues licks real fast, but on this Hendrix cover he just goes for brutal, magical sounds – Just beating the hell out of his guitar like Glenn Branca or something. Or like Hendrix, obviously.”

Quiet Village by Martin Denny
“This reminds me of watching Pee-Wee’s playhouse growing up. And reading about cultures in elementary school. I listen to Martin Denny almost every day that I work at the wine shop. It goes great with retail. And weed.”

Four Russian Peasant Songs by Stravinsky
“Stravinsky was the best composer. The rhythm, harmony and shifts in colour are so original and outrageously fresh. Fresh like “innovative” but also like fresh herbs or mountain air – this music really wakes my brain up.”

Drummer Rosie’s picks

Revolution (Alternate) by The Beatles
“Love the guitar sounds! So crunchy and groovy!”

A Case of You by Joni Mitchell
“Beautiful melody. I’ve always loved her use of the dulcimer as well.”

Clair de Lune by Claude Debussy
“The harmonies <3 This is my desert island classical piece.”

No One Loves Me & Neither Do I by Them Crooked Vultures 
“I don’t know how to describe this one other than I just absolutely love it… The drums, the bass sound that comes in at 3:15… Haha it just makes me so happy!”