It’s as if last summer didn’t happen. With vacations canceled and strict rules in place for staying inside our homes, there was little opportunity for energized encounters. I’m desperately seeking summer sensations: the fleeting touch of a stranger’s hand on a crowded bus, beads of sweat slipping down my chest in slow motion, wet hair soaking cold cotton sheets. These palpable experiences remind me of Éric Rohmer’s film “La Collectionneuse,” with its long leisurely afternoons and salty, sunburnt skin.

This kind of idyll summer is nothing like the summers I experience as a mom of small children (lots of kid-chasing and generous sunscreen application; that’s what mine looks like).

So I created a mixtape to evoke the feeling of a Rohmer summer — one with an aestheticized sensuality drenched in the golden glow of the sun.🌞

*This playlist is best listened to in order: starting with upbeat, groovy songs that grow hot and steamy until they softly turn quiet (perfect when you’re half-asleep on a chaise lounge).

Summer Mixtape Vol. 3 by Taylor Sterling on Spotify.