If you allow me a recommendation... look for the short story "Kino", by Haruki Murakami. IIRC it was published by New Yorker so should be accessible. Perfect match for the playlist (especially the end). Then tell me what you thing :)
The moon is overhead, and the road is empty aside from you, your NSX and the tall street lamps adorning the side of the highway. Reflected in your rearview mirrors are the lights of the city: colorful and neon but not blindingly bright. You are neither sleepy nor glaringly awake, but you can sense an emotion rising within you. Is it sadness, love, happiness or nostalgia? You’re unsure, but you know the remainder of your drive will be full of this hazy feeling...
it's funny to hear all these american aesthetics of pop, ballad, power-rock, soft-rock etc in japanese - like how the Atom Bombs smashed japanese imperialism, the consequent generations of 70s and 80s, served and copied popular music of their vanquishers ...
Funny how japanese people find it weird that here in the west we like this music, they either consider it old fashioned or simply don't know about it anymore.
I will never forget the first time I listened to this playlist. I was writing an essay when Tatsuro Yamashita - RAINY DAY: 27:46 starts playing the exact moment it started to rain outside at 2 AM in the morning. I had the window open and a nice fresh smell of rain entered my apartment. Since then, I love coming back to this playlist :)
