It’s
finals week and, to be honest, I've been left
devoid of much creative inspiration. However, if
there’s one thing I love as a study aid, it’s a good
ambient or classical song. Just turn it on quietly
in the background to help you sink into a focused
state, or pump it up loudly to wake yourself up at
3:22 AM, when you’re just trying to finish the
chapter notes. Thus I bring you: my top 3 study
songs.
:Sufjan
Stevens - Movement I, In The Countenance Of Kings:
This song is so rich and lush. Listening to it
almost feels like sinking into a moist chocolate
cake, or a thick field of dewy green grass. The
piano is dreamy, the crescendoing horns magnificent.
If you’re a classical music nerd, you’ll love the
arrangements. If you’re an indie rocker, you’ll
adore the signature Sufjan silliness snuck in.
:Explosions
In The Sky - West Texas:
This happens to also double as my favorite song to
fall asleep to. It’s calm and serene and the guitar
tone is absolutely divine. When I close my eyes, I
can see myself looking out across miles of flat,
dry, dirty open space in West Texas. If you’re a
Friday Night Lights fan, it might bring a tear
to your eye - yeah, I miss it too.
:The
Octopus Project - Fuguefat:
The first time I heard this song was at "Hexadecagon"
at SXSW 2010. I became obsessed. The Monday after
SXSW I went to Waterloo to buy the record, and then
I went over to my friends house, laid on the floor
listening to this song on repeat, and pronounced it
the answer to all my big life questions. I stand by
that statement. Sure, on the face of it, it’s a
great wake up song for sleepy studies. But if you
listen closely enough, you might just hear something
deeper than just brilliant keys and wild energy.
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