Just Chill Music
May 22, 2011 12:01 PM   Subscribe

What is your favorite cool and relaxing music?

I love the arrangement of Adele's cover of The Cure's Lovesong.
When I listen to this song, I feel like I'm in a cool hotel lobby/restaurant/coffee shop. What are some other songs that give off this vibe?

I know of Diana Krall. I know of Nora Jones. I know about the Hotel Costes mixes. Who and what else? Thanks.
posted by Fairchild to Media & Arts (34 answers total) 38 users marked this as a favorite
 
Response by poster: Sorry, wrong link. It should be this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5f1D9kHogq0
posted by Fairchild at 12:03 PM on May 22, 2011 [1 favorite]


You might like Corinne Bailey Rae.
posted by Balonious Assault at 12:13 PM on May 22, 2011 [2 favorites]


Consider the Cafe Del Mar mixes. There are sixteen so far, so you have a lot to choose from. Not all the tracks are instrumental, though they do lean that way. Here's their YouTube channel if you want a taste.
posted by Gilbert at 12:15 PM on May 22, 2011 [2 favorites]


It seems like you're drawn to acoustic jazzy, mellow songs. Here are some artists I like during my mellow moods:

Melody Gardot
Kate Schutt
Solveig Slettahjell
Kitty Hoff

(The classics, like Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, etc are always there too.)

Do you like bossa nova? One of my favorites is Rosa Passos. If you want to try out a lot of different artists who do Brazilian music (bossa nova, samba, MPB, etc), then Putumayo has put out several good compilations: Acoustic Brazil, Brasileiro (more MPB), Brazilian Cafe, and Samba Bossa Nova. I think Acoustic Brazil has the most "chill" vibe to it, but they all have a good selection of stuff I could easily imagine being played in a cool cafe.
posted by Kutsuwamushi at 12:53 PM on May 22, 2011


Anything by Ali Farka Touré.
posted by Guy_Inamonkeysuit at 12:55 PM on May 22, 2011 [2 favorites]


Do you like new agey/yoga-type of music? If so, anything by Snatam Kaur is excellent for relaxation
posted by Sal and Richard at 1:19 PM on May 22, 2011


Radiohead's In Rainbows.
posted by HotPatatta at 1:23 PM on May 22, 2011


The Cure.
posted by jeffamaphone at 1:31 PM on May 22, 2011


Sigur Ros.
posted by The ____ of Justice at 1:40 PM on May 22, 2011


Laura Viers.
posted by bibliophibianj at 1:40 PM on May 22, 2011


Brian Eno, Music for Airports.
posted by dfan at 1:56 PM on May 22, 2011


Nouvelle Vague.
posted by coraline at 2:07 PM on May 22, 2011


Marc Antoine--Latin-inspired smooth jazz guitar.
posted by WorkingMyWayHome at 2:56 PM on May 22, 2011


Hammock: "kenotic" or "raising your voice, trying to stop an echo."
posted by doogan nash at 3:02 PM on May 22, 2011


Wow, love this song. Thanks for the link. If you can go for no vocals, you may also want to check out Dave Brubeck, the king of "cool jazz." For example.
posted by bearwife at 3:37 PM on May 22, 2011


Another Dave Brubeck sample. OK, one more.
posted by bearwife at 3:44 PM on May 22, 2011 [1 favorite]


No recommendations, but thank you for introducing me to Adele. Amazing.
posted by ainsley at 4:48 PM on May 22, 2011


- Seu Jorge's album for The Life Aquatic is all gorgeous Portuguese covers of David Bowie songs (Space Oddity, Rebel Rebel, &c. )

- maybe Kruder & Dorfmeister? (remix of Madonna's Nothing Really Matters is my favourite)

- Thievery Corporation! (Lebanese Blonde, Until The Morning)
posted by elizardbits at 5:51 PM on May 22, 2011


Try some Ottmar Liebert
posted by Redhush at 6:08 PM on May 22, 2011


Response by poster: Thank you for all of these suggestions. I am having so much fun sampling them all.

bearwife, this song has been covered countless times. Adele's version puts me in a dreamy mood.

ainsley, you are so lucky. Are you hearing Adele's beautiful voice for the first time? Her latest album, 21, is wonderful. There is not one song that isn't good.
posted by Fairchild at 6:16 PM on May 22, 2011


Dummy, the trip-hop classic from Portishead, is also a fantastic chillout album. It's one of my go-to choices when I need something relaxing to listen to while working, writing, or unwinding from the day.

Beware, though, if you play it around public. It has a reputation for being "makeout music."
posted by zooropa at 6:54 PM on May 22, 2011


Not acoustic, but transcending the trip-hop genre: Protection. I have a feeling you're going to like Tracey Thorn's voice.
posted by en forme de poire at 7:58 PM on May 22, 2011


Ulrich Schnauss, Ana Moura, Arkestra One, Balmorhea, Bibio, Bluetech, Boards of Canada, Cassandra Wilson (seriously - you will thank me later, she's devastating....), Cheb i Sabbah, Cobblestone Jazz, The Dining Rooms, Donny Hathaway, Earl Klugh, Fairport Convention, Funckarma, Funki Porcini, Great Lake Swimmers, Green Isac, The Karminsky Experience.
posted by Lipstick Thespian at 8:19 PM on May 22, 2011


How about Agnes Obel? She's Danish, you know.
posted by Omon Ra at 9:07 PM on May 22, 2011


Edith Frost
posted by Lovecraft In Brooklyn at 11:27 PM on May 22, 2011


Zero 7
posted by empath at 7:29 AM on May 23, 2011 [1 favorite]


Kashiwa Daisuke
posted by empath at 7:30 AM on May 23, 2011


Portishead Essential Mix, 1995
posted by empath at 7:31 AM on May 23, 2011


R. Carlos Nakai.
posted by xedrik at 11:33 AM on May 23, 2011


Astrud Gilberto and Stan Getz--"Agua de Beber" say.
posted by ifjuly at 11:34 AM on May 23, 2011


Antony and the Johnsons
(isn't it hard to choose a sample of something you like...)
posted by sianifach at 1:59 PM on May 23, 2011


Are you hearing Adele's beautiful voice for the first time?

Yes, indeed. Thank you for the recommendation.
posted by ainsley at 8:09 PM on May 23, 2011


Various entire genres are like this e.g, ambient, downtempo, atmospheric dnb.

Probably my favourite is psybient, also known as psychill and psydub. Here are some of my favourite albums in the psychill genre (legend: album - artist - example song from youtube):

Blumenkraft - Ott - Jack's Cheese and Bread Snack.

Fahrenheit Project Part Four - Puff Dragon - Chinese Radio.

Stimulus - M-Seven - Creative Tao.

The Riddle of Santa Catherina - Astropilot - Yasmin.

Steps to the Great Knowledge - Chronos - Step by Step.

Earthshine - Solar Fields - Brainbow.

You could also check out SomaFM's Groove Salad and spacestation soma.
posted by ollyollyoxenfree at 8:23 PM on May 23, 2011 [1 favorite]


Massive Attack and Portishead. Take a listen to 'Protection' if you've never heard them.
posted by devilsbrigade at 7:23 PM on May 25, 2011


« Older Yoga, what is it good for?   |   Can you help me find this article? Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.