Off the Farm 2012 is the latest incarnation of Dell Little’s annual mixtape-nee-CD-nee-mp3 collection, which continues with the series’ down-home, upbeat groove. I love this year’s cover: a conductor of what seems to be a radio orchestra, of course from the 30s or 40s or 50s. There’s a funny kind of irony to Dell’s choice of such old-tymie, small-town imagery mixed with his often-electro-techno, progressive-pop choice of usually-bleeding edge current/new musical artists. I love that irony: it adds to the earnest, heartfelt feeling of all his Off the Farm mixtapes, and makes me appreciate even the songs that I may not otherwise even give a glancing moment of attention. Good stuff.