Hauschka

In this episode: Hauschka's hypnotic music blends electronics with the rhythmic, percussive sounds of prepared piano, using normal household items. The German composer's latest album, Abandoned City, explores the phenomenon of abandoned cities and ghost towns around the world. Hear the inventive prepared pianist transform the instrument in the Soundcheck studio.

Then: All week, Soundcheck has been asking listeners and readers to give us their favorite summer song. We got so many great ones, we created our Ultimate Summer Mix, a giant Spotify playlist of seasonal classics and unsung gems that will be the perfect soundtrack for your barbecues, beaches, and roadtrips all summer long.

And: Calling something "indie" can be divisive, and categorizing a musician as "twee" can be an accusation. But veteran music writer Marc Spitz has happily compiled the ultimate guide to twee culture in his new book, Twee. Spitz unites Walt Disney, Pitchfork, and the soft strums of Zoey Deschanel's ukulele as examples of a "gentle revolution" in his extensive history of twee music, books, and pop culture.