by Petra Chase
Please tell me I’m not the only one who puts “relax” on my to-do list. Taking the time to wind down amidst a whirlwind of stress can sometimes feel impossible. Music helps. Here are a few songs that have helped me calm down and empty my mind at the end of a tiring day.
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“Olympus” by Sufjan Stevens and Angelo De Augustine
This melancholy folk song will mesmerize you with its dreamy imagery and majestic hook. Get lost in the song’s Greek myth allusions and celestial imagery and your worries will fade away. “Olympus” is a single from Stevens’ and De Augustine’s upcoming collaborative album, A Beginner’s Mind, which was written based on different popular movies the two watched in lockdown.
“Heartbeats” by José González
González will pick at your heartstrings like he does his guitar strings: intensely, reverberating emotion with each note. “Heartbeats” is a cover of The Knife’s original. González’ interpretation turns the happy, upbeat electronic pop into a hauntingly sad one. Close your eyes and drift away. You’ll feel like you’re watching a live performance.
“Larabar” by Wet
”Larabar” is Wet’s latest single which comes off their upcoming album, Letter Blue. The song takes their usual synth ambience to new horizons, with glitchy vocals backed by jazzy piano. The muted and distorted atmosphere is the perfect backdrop for when you want to take your time cooking dinner or folding laundry with nothing pressing on your mind.
Listen to the full playlist on our Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6eEVOiRRUWdUOV1FtzXG9F?si=b8ae8972fea748b3