The mix-tape: it’s been the choice aphrodisiac of disc jockeys, record store snobs and your parents since the 70s. There’s something about a handpicked selection of soulful singles that still has the power to get your figurative and literal juices flowing. For your listening pleasure, The Peak has assembled 10 of the sexiest songs we know — from soul music to shoegaze — into a mix-tape for only the most sensual of occasions. Just press play.
1. “Let’s Get It On” by Marvin Gaye
It’s become the punchline of many sex jokes over the years, but this smouldering single still has the power to turn heads and accelerate heartbeats. Gaye’s soulful croon and magnetic performance make “Let’s Get It On” one of the sexiest songs in soul music history, and the perfect way to kick off an after dinner make-out session.
2. “Work It” by Missy Elliott
Missy Elliott’s appeal ranges from dive bar dance contests to Master’s Degree theses. This song is a great example of her inimitable blend of smart and sexy. Her take-charge attitude and rapid-fire flow, cement her as the intellectual’s sex symbol of choice, and the song’s bodacious backbeat is sure to loosen inhibitions . . . and belts.
3. “Ego Free Sex Free” by Autre Ne Veut
Part Beyonce and part Bowie, Arthur Ashin’s steamy R&B stylings are more than the sum of his influences. From its pulse-pounding verses to its momentous chorus, “Ego Free Sex Free” might be the hottest single released this year. Eat your heart out, Justin Timberlake.
4. “To Here Knows When” by My Bloody Valentine
Any song on My Bloody Valentine’s seminal shoegaze classic Loveless would be at home on this mix, but Bilinda Butcher’s seductive vocals and Shields’ liquified aural landscapes on this mid-album standout put it a cut above the rest. Who knew Ireland could be so sexy?
5. “Electric Feel” by MGMT
Psychedelic poster-boys MGMT may have exhausted their 15 minutes of fame, but the sexy acid-trip of “Electric Feel” still sounds as fresh as the day it was released. The neon-glare libido of that bass line is still the sexiest hipsters get without having to trade in their PBR for sparkling wine.
6. “Thinkin Bout You” by Frank Ocean
Frank Ocean got a lot of attention last year for his coming out story, but what so many of those tabloid headlines failed to highlight was just how good his music is. However you self-identify, Ocean’s airy vocal and passionate lyrics prove that sexy and sentimental aren’t mutually exclusive.
7. “Untitled (How Does It Feel)” by D’Angelo
It’s D’Angelo. Need I say more? This seasoned neo soul superstar can rock a falsetto like no other, and the Prince-inspired “Untitled (How Does It Feel)” might be his sexiest single. Unless your lover is made of stone, they’re unlikely to be immune to D’Angelo’s charms — and neither are you.
8. “Je T’aime . . . Moi Non Plus” by Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin
Given that half of the vocals on this controversial single are made up of drawn-out moans and suggestive sighs, this mix would be incomplete without this famous duet between French singer Serge Gainsbourg and his British beau. Factor in that the song’s lyrics include lines like “I go and I come / Between your loins,” and you’ll wonder how it was even recorded at all.
9. “Kiss” by Prince
Prince’s androgynous sex appeal has become the stuff of legends, and although any of his many songs could be included on this mix, the stripped-down minimalism of 1986’s “Kiss” makes the single’s erotic invitation a hard one to resist. The song’s message of unconditional love just make it all the more appealing.
10. “Glory Box” by Portishead
Though this Bristol group’s gloomy trip-hop stylings might seem an unconventional choice for a romp between the sheets, lead singer Beth Gibbons’ playfully confident vocal and the song’s Isaac Hayes sampled instrumental are equal parts enigmatic and mystifying. For those who like a little mystery in their love lives, “Glory Box” makes fitting background music.
