INTRODUCING THE MUSICAL FANZINE SUMMER ‘26 MIXTAPE EXCHANGE!

MFZ is interested in widespread participation in (counter-)culture. Likewise, we eschew the mindless consumption of art and the algorithmic, insidiously profit-driven monoculture in the underground. The best music is discovered through personal connection, recommendation, and self-driven discovery. But the modern landscape of social media algorithms and streaming can make this hard.

So okay, we’re doing a summer mixtape exchange about it! It won’t solve the problem, but it’ll be fun and maybe you’ll find some new favorite bands.

Here’s how it will work:

  1. Sign up below by providing your name, email, mailing address, a few of your favorite bands, and what you’re looking for / missing from the underground. Please also note if you would like to participate via cassette or CD. The deadline to sign up is July 1, 2026.

  2. You will be randomly, secret-santa style matched up with someone else who signs up and has access to the same physical-media format as you.

  3. You will then have until August 10th to create a mixtape or CD of meaningful music that you think yr assigned mix partner might enjoy! Bonus points for overlooked underground artists, yr favorite under-the-radar contemporary bands.

  4. We here at MFZ will be available for support, guidance, technical questions and the like. We’ll also send out periodic reminders to participate!

  5. Hopefully you will make a new friend, possibly from somewhere else around the world, and learn about some new bands.

*no personal information will be shared with anyone except your mix partner, with yr consent. initial information gathering will be used by musical fanzine to coordinate matches and communicate with you with updates about the project! you will have the option to sign up for our newsletter, but it is not required.