By Meredith Nardino
It’s the third week of the semester, and still, no part of me is prepared to get back into the swing of studying. No matter what I do, I can never put together a solid routine once the workload starts to get overwhelming – unless I have the perfect playlist.
The best songs to play while you work are a little ambient and mellow, providing a simple backdrop for marathon study sessions. Throw these five songs in the mix, and you’ll be ready to tackle that mountain of readings you’ve been putting off all weekend.
1. “Nobody Else Will Be There” – The National
Sleep Well Beast is The National’s seventh record, but it proves the band is as strong as ever. The album is nearly an hour of slow-burning, chaotic, melancholy rock that the worst kind of hipster-bro considers ‘groundbreaking.’ “Nobody Else Will Be There” is as haunting as it is comforting, the perfect song to play while studying or while wistfully staring out the window during a thunderstorm.
2. “3/3” – The Japanese House
The Japanese House is the best band no one really knows about yet. 22-year-old Amber Bain has been changing the alternative music game since her mysterious debut EP dropped two years ago. “3/3” relies less on vocal distortion and instead focuses more on sonic storytelling. This dreamy, mid-tempo bop appears on Bain’s Saw You In a Dream EP, and demonstrates a beautiful, yet subtle, shift in her sound.
3. “Glory (Bunker Session)” – Bastille
It’s been just about a year since Bastille released their fiery sophomore record, Wild World, and the British alt-popstars haven’t slowed down one bit. “Glory” is the third single to receive the acoustic treatment so far, after a surprisingly good cover of Green Day’s “Basket Case.” The differences between this session and the original are subtle, but even the slight change serves as a great reminder of the band’s impressive range.
4. “No Good Alone” – Corey Harper
If you heard this song without knowing anything about Corey Harper, you might think you were listening to Continuum era John Mayer (which, let’s be honest, was peak John Mayer). On his latest single, Harper proves he’s a natural talent with a timeless sound. “No Good Alone” brings a light, breezy vibe to any situation – even the most grueling nights in the library.
5. “Downtown” – Majical Cloudz
This Canadian pop duo specializes in making a brokenhearted melody sound beautiful. “Downtown” appears on the band’s fourth and final record, and is the perfect culmination of the musical project. The spacious tune feels monochromatic at first, but eventually the song evolves into a vibrant masterpiece. It’s incredibly sad, but still has hopeful undertones – just like my feelings about starting this semester.
