Sometimes you just need to escape the tension and stress of anticipating your next class. There isn't enough time to do much else but listen to music to relax, but that leads to the big question we're all afraid to answer: what do I listen to? If you're struggling to find a good playlist, we've got you covered with this list.
Artist: Lord Huron
Top Recommended 3 Songs: "Meet Me in the Woods," "The Stranger," "Lost in Time and Space"
Recommended Album: "Strange Trails"
Lord Huron can only be described as folksy woods music. "The Stranger," from their 2010 "Mighty" EP, is filled with a soft yet heavy drumbeat, accompanied by a perky whistling melody as well as quick guitar picks.
It often carries a feeling of excitement, whereas "Meet Me in the Woods" off their 2015 "Strange Trails" album carries a sense of foreboding thrill upon the prospects of what might lie in the dark beyond our sight. "Lost in Time and Space" from their 2018 "Vide Noir" holds a sense of dreamy wistfulness, accompanied by soft melodic harps, gentle vocals and cosmically powered lyrics.
Artist: Khalid
Top Recommended 3 Songs: "Better," "Cold Blooded," "Location"
Recommended Album: "Suncity"
Combining classic soul with modern hip-hop, this El Paso native uses strong electronic beats mixed with fluid vocals to create dreamy and effortless soundscapes that evoke a wonderful sensation of chilled out, relaxed vibes. The track "Better" (off of "Suncity") describes Khalid's feelings towards an affair and secret relationship with a powerful melody and soothing synth strokes.
"Cold Blooded," in strange conjunction, is about an unhealthy relationship. "I feel like you're hurting me because you've been hurt," Khalid said of the track on its Genius lyric page. "You want to get back at them by using me."
In contrast, "Location" is an "ode to the digital era that we're all going through." It's a dreamy song about using phones as a means to properly communicate. If you're looking for songs with powerful personal messages, give Khalid some time—whatever your location might be.
Artist: Tupperware Remix Party (TWRP)
Top Recommended 3 Songs: "Starlight Brigade," "The Hit," "Synthesize Her"
Recommended Album: 2nite
An electro-funk band that's existed since the beginning of time and from outer space consisting of members throughout the deepest recesses of the Multiverse (according to their personal history), these costume-clad keytar commanders come from the future and past alike to deliver tasty funk reminiscent of bands like Daft Punk.
"Starlight Brigade," the tale of someone whisked away from their home planet as they fight to protect it, is accompanied by featured artist Dan Avidan, who adds unique and harmonical lyrics to the already 80's rock song.
"The Hit," similarly featuring Avidan, is a voice-boxed frenzy of good times with killer guitar solos and an animated music video to boot.
"Synthesize Her" is the process of love from the perspective of an advanced entity and its search of love, obviously heavily based around the selfsame instrument and accompanied by a wonderfully made music video.
Artist: Woodkid
Top 3 Recommended Songs: "The Golden Age," "I Love You," "Land of All"
Recommended Album: "The Golden Age"
Yoann Lemoine—or, known by his musical moniker, Woodkid—was originally a music video director before beginning to record his own music. Lemoine released several EP's followed by his debut album "The Golden Age" in 2013—a more traditional orchestral album. All of Woodkid's music is tragic in nature, as well as recorded by a full symphony orchestra and accompanied by Lemoine's vocals.
His song "The Golden Age" is a slow, rhythmic piano soliloquy to the ache of good times long gone, with a rich, full orchestra and a gentle piano foundation, followed by the warning of trumpets and pounding of drums.
"I Love You," a fast-paced love song about chasing a selfish paramour ("Is there anything I could do / Just to get some attention from you"), revolves around a sad-sounding church organ and loud percussion.
"Land of All," the first track in the "Desierto" soundtrack, is filled with emotion—one of the most noticeable ones being fear. "Land of All" dreams of a new life in a brighter country that isn't quite as bright as imagined, and is a slow and powerful piano-based theme that fits into the plot of "Desierto" itself.
Don't feel limited to just these songs alone—each artist has plenty of wonderful songs to choose from. Choosing and finding new music has never been so relaxing—and neither has been going to your next class.