Music calms the angry peon.

August 22, 2011 5:48 PM

I found this awesome don't-snap-and-kill-people music. Help me find more.

This song is awesome. (Warning, youtube link.) I work at a call center. Since finding this, I've been listening to it on repeat every day, and I'm much less angry at the end of the day. So help me find more music like this.

I don't care about length, I'll just be putting it on repeat.

I need to listen to it at work, so in a web browser, preferably youtube, just so I can autorepeat.

I listen to one earphone under my headset at work, so I need music that isn't going to be getting loud, or be distracting during calls.

I love the instruments in this, but if you have something else, I'm not too picky.

No vocals.

Thanks Metafilter! I'll be looking forward to listening to your suggestions, and not biting any customers heads off.

posted by trogdole to media & arts (54 answers total)

Mogwai - Take Me Somewhere Nice
and just any Mogwai

Explosions in the Sky has a lot of songs to pick from, some have angry, loud parts parts though. I recommend Our Last Day As Children. Its the perfect song.

The Pride and Prejudice soundtrack has lovely piano pieces and the soundtrack to My Neighbor Totoro is happy and fun instrumentals.

As well as the last three songs on the Lord of the Rings: Return of the King soundtrack:
The Return of the King, Into the West, and The Grey Havens.

Best of luck!
posted by fuzzysoft at 5:57 PM on August 22, 2011 [1 favorite]

Kid for Today.
posted by googly at 6:03 PM on August 22, 2011

Although this one has vocals, they're very backgroundy to me, and otherwise, this has a similar soothing feel (to me) compared to the one you posted: Bonobo - Terrapin (Sonorous mix)

I also really love all the tracks on the soundtrack for The Assassination of Jesse James for peaceful, but especially Mary's Song.

Also, check out Ludovico Einaudi.

Ah, thank you, just browsing through my collection for soothing songs has lowered my blood pressure measurably.
posted by rosa at 6:03 PM on August 22, 2011

Instrumental music I find extremely calming:

Beethoven's 6th (can't find the whole thing on youtube, but here's part of it)
Journey to Fort Sedgewick from the Dances with Wolves soundtrack
The Mission Theme
True Romance Theme

Music with vocals (I know, I know) I find extremely calming:

Naive Melody - Talking Heads
1979 - The Smashing Pumpkins
59th Street Bridge Song - Simon and Garfunkel
Shenandoah - The Kingston Trio
Da Da Da...don't laugh! It's so silly you can't help but bob your head and smile.

I grew up in a loving--but very prone to arguing with each other--family. Sometimes we'd have to have chill-out-and-listen-to-some-music-before-we-kill-each-other time. The above songs have a proven track record.
posted by phunniemee at 6:05 PM on August 22, 2011 [1 favorite]

Can't find video, but: Nobukazu Takemura's "Kepler." So, so calming.
posted by No-sword at 6:13 PM on August 22, 2011

Sacrifice [Alternate Version] by Christophe Beck (Buffy Score)
It has a crescendo in the middle, but this came to mind listening to the song you posted.
posted by wondermouse at 6:23 PM on August 22, 2011

Check out Jürgen Müller - Science of the Sea
posted by Threeway Handshake at 6:30 PM on August 22, 2011

Perhaps the Penguin Cafe Orchestra? (just one example.)
posted by vers at 6:34 PM on August 22, 2011 [2 favorites]

M83 - Lower Your Eyelids To Die With The Sun.
posted by mhoye at 6:39 PM on August 22, 2011

I think almost all of Haydn's "London" symphony is extraordinarily soothing. The andante is closest to your linked tune. This is not my favorite recording of it, but it's got both the languid lines and the ferocious jollity that always resolves into almost complacent joy.
posted by Cold Lurkey at 6:39 PM on August 22, 2011

Several tracks from the game Dreamfall came to mind for some reason:
Faith
Zoe

Also check out:
Ryuichi Sakamoto
Spirited Away
Tin Hat Trio
Coraline Soundtrack
Crouching Tiger

If you like classical, Mrs. Selfnoise apparently has Leon Fleisher CDs on heavy rotation at work.
posted by selfnoise at 6:47 PM on August 22, 2011

Pretty much any Brian Eno.

No vocals.

Ok, except the stuff with vocals.
posted by b1tr0t at 6:52 PM on August 22, 2011 [1 favorite]

My go-to savage-beast-soothing track of recent months has been Gavin Bryars' Jesus Blood Never Failed Me Yet (featuring Tom Waits).
posted by Kattullus at 6:54 PM on August 22, 2011 [1 favorite]

Might be worth listening to one or two of the streaming music channels on Soma.FM; either Space Station Soma or Drone Zone. In fact there's quite a few low key channels you can try (scroll down the first link). Note that Soma.fm has no ads but does toss in a donation ask bumper every couple of hours. (I've given them money as a happy listener.)
posted by seanmpuckett at 6:55 PM on August 22, 2011 [1 favorite]

Take Care by Beach House.
posted by Madamina at 6:57 PM on August 22, 2011

Ah, crap, while thinking about this I forgot about the "no vocals" specification. Sorry about that.
posted by Kattullus at 6:57 PM on August 22, 2011

Ah, crap, me too!

Okay -- Dvorak Serenade for Strings.
posted by Madamina at 6:59 PM on August 22, 2011

tin hat trio. boards of canada. blue states. lather rinse repeat.
posted by davejay at 7:01 PM on August 22, 2011

It can be hard to find state-side (except Amazon - they have 66 of his albums) but South African jazz pianist Abdullah Ibrahim is great instrumental chill out music. African Symphony is great, as are the Best Of collections. The one I love is the one that's unavailable.

PS - if you're not familiar with South African jazz, just know it's not the same as American jazz. Better, I think.
posted by guster4lovers at 7:21 PM on August 22, 2011 [2 favorites]

I am quite certain that you are looking for the Bach Cello Suites.

(Although if you're set on piano you might try the Goldberg Variations.)
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 7:29 PM on August 22, 2011 [1 favorite]

Let Me Tell You About My Boat
The Ascension Rain
Writer's Block
An Ending (Ascent)
Lullaby From The West Coast Sleepers
From 553 W Elm Street, Logan, Illinois (Snow)
posted by puritycontrol at 7:37 PM on August 22, 2011

Although it may get a bit loud at one point, Genova (Charles Atlas) from Up in the Air is great!
posted by ddaavviidd at 8:14 PM on August 22, 2011

This Eno is particularly nice.
posted by bonobothegreat at 8:27 PM on August 22, 2011

Belle and Sebastian - Fiction
posted by yellowbinder at 8:29 PM on August 22, 2011

It has (some) vocals and it's aimed at parents and their children, but Until the Light of Morning, by Essie Jain, has a similar sound to what you posted, although a little more stripped down (and the ending tracks are more instrumental). It's an incredibly soothing album.

(If you just want just the instrumental songs, try the last two.)
posted by kethonna at 8:43 PM on August 22, 2011

Many tracks from the thirtysomething TV show soundtrack fit the bill, particularly "Life Class (Nancy's Museum Fantasy)."
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 9:10 PM on August 22, 2011

How bout Yo La Tengo Green Arrow or Sea Urchins. They have a whole album of mellow instrumental music to soundtrack a sea life documentary: The Sounds of the Sounds of Science that might be worth checking out.
posted by otolith at 9:34 PM on August 22, 2011 [1 favorite]

Can I suggest you reconsider your no-vocals rule and make an exception for choral works? Fauré's Requiem can be very relaxing.
posted by spiderskull at 10:24 PM on August 22, 2011

Yasushi Yoshida - Permanent Yesterday
Akira Kosemura - Garden
Peter Broderick - A Glacier
Danny Norbury - Small Field
Sylvain Chauveau - Nuage
posted by p3t3 at 10:55 PM on August 22, 2011

My go to relaxing music is Sigur Ros.
posted by Lovecraft In Brooklyn at 11:29 PM on August 22, 2011 [1 favorite]

You Must Believe in Spring and/or When I Fall in Love

Compositions by the late great Bill Evans.
posted by jne1813 at 4:21 AM on August 23, 2011

Mogwai - Take Me Somewhere Nice
and just any Mogwai

I find mogwai more melancholic than happy in general, except for Happy Songs for Happy People, like the title says, it's a very happy album in many ways.

Also try Michael Armstrong's Rockabye Baby "lullaby renditions of baby's favorite rock bands". I particularly like the Tool and Nirvana ones, but most of the ones i've heard are interesting.
posted by palbo at 4:40 AM on August 23, 2011

Seconding Sigur Ros.

Probably more minimal that you want, but Arvo Part's Alina has a calming effect on me.

When I want to get a lot of work done, Music for 18 Musicians gets me in the zone, but I don't know how that would work if you need to actually talk to people.
posted by chocolatepeanutbuttercup at 5:23 AM on August 23, 2011

A bit obscure, but I love Simeon ten Holt's works for multiple pianos such as Canto Ostinato, Horizon, Lemniscaat. Very long works, very slowly evolving, and utterly beautiful. This is minimalist music, but very different from the more well-known composers such as Philip Glass and Steve Reich.
posted by reynaert at 6:50 AM on August 23, 2011

Boards Of Canada, specifically Dayvan Cowboy sounds similar to the track you linked.
posted by EndsOfInvention at 7:35 AM on August 23, 2011

Baroque music in general has soothing benefits. Also helps you learn. Or so I've read.

eg. Vivaldi.
posted by uncanny hengeman at 7:35 AM on August 23, 2011

How could I forget Sigur Ros?!

Everyone, great suggestions, thank you. :) I'm having trouble listening to everything, but I"ll be giving everything a fair hearing.
posted by trogdole at 7:42 AM on August 23, 2011

If you like Sigur Ros, I bet you will also enjoy the icelandic band Mum, which I personally like even more.,
posted by rmless at 8:42 AM on August 23, 2011

I came in to mention Arvo Part's Alina as well. Only thing is it invariably makes me feel like weeping.
posted by papercake at 9:07 AM on August 23, 2011

Seconding Ludovico Einaudi, whose music came immediately to mind when I listened to the example you posted.
posted by tully_monster at 9:13 AM on August 23, 2011

Thank you tully_monster. This is great.
posted by trogdole at 9:58 AM on August 23, 2011

Ooh, baroque music makes me murderous. (Just one data point.)

What this thread needs is some Satie.
posted by clavicle at 10:08 AM on August 23, 2011

Eluvium uses some fairly similar ambient piano/synth combinations in a lot of his music
posted by parallellines at 12:35 PM on August 23, 2011

Harold Budd and Brian Eno

They collaborated on two albums, The Plateaux of Mirror and The Pearl.
posted by Dirk Squarejaw at 12:41 PM on August 23, 2011

I have this dog calming CD and it really worked when my dog got worked up in the car. There are also calming piano CDs for babies.

(It is unclear whether "Thomas Schoenberg" mentioned in the dog CD and "Thomas Schoenberger" for the baby CD are the same person - the music sounds very similar.)
posted by bikergirl at 1:28 PM on August 23, 2011

plugging brian eno's name into pandora cures/solves everything.
posted by c at 3:43 PM on August 23, 2011

Rob Costlow - Forbidden
Max Richter - Vladimir's Blues
posted by clerestory at 8:25 PM on August 23, 2011

Vangelis?
posted by screamingnotlaughing at 11:12 PM on August 23, 2011

Oh and definitely Boards of Canada!
posted by screamingnotlaughing at 11:12 PM on August 23, 2011

Lonesome Dove
posted by tenaciousd at 6:13 AM on August 24, 2011

A R Rahman's Silent Invocation A.
posted by soam at 1:22 PM on August 24, 2011

see also.
posted by b1tr0t at 7:10 AM on August 25, 2011

La Femme D'Argent by Air.
posted by swift at 7:36 PM on August 26, 2011

A bit late to the party, but Leonard Cohen's Tacoma Trailer.
posted by McCoy Pauley at 8:21 AM on August 29, 2011