Comments on: Lullabies for grown-ups?

Question: Lullabies for grown-ups?

goodnewsfortheinsane — Tue, 16 Aug 2005 12:12:03 -0800

Can you recommend some contemporary music to fall asleep to?

I'm going to a pop festival this weekend and, attached to my sleep as I am, I want to take some precautions to help me get those valuable Zs. There's a round-the-clock party tent just outside the camping grounds, and overall there's going to be lots of noise pretty much all of the time.

A successful strategy in recent years has been ear plugs + big-ass headphones with some soothing, meandering music. At home I like to fall asleep while listening to This American Life, but talk radio will probably not be powerful enough in this environment. Basically I'm fed up with the mix cd I've been using these last few years (BTW, I'm going for the 10th time! :) ) and I'm looking for pointers to fresh tunes.

Basically what I like is either slow, electronic triphoppy stuff or singer-songwriter / slow rock songs (that do have some constant power and no sudden volume changes). Recommendations of albums are ok, single tracks would be even better.

Previous successes: Massive Attack, Portishead, Aimee Mann.

My brain and mood thank you a lot!

By: cilantro

cilantro — Tue, 16 Aug 2005 12:16:20 -0800

Definitely Beth Orton.

By: scody

scody — Tue, 16 Aug 2005 12:17:06 -0800

Ossia by George Sarah might be right up your alley.

By: onalark

onalark — Tue, 16 Aug 2005 12:19:06 -0800

Have you checked out Postal Service yet? I'm not sure if this is exactly what you're looking for, but songs like "The District Sleeps Alone Tonight" and "Sleeping In" are my idea of a more relaxed groove.

By: gaspode

gaspode — Tue, 16 Aug 2005 12:24:31 -0800

St Germain - Rose Rouge

Any of that album (Tourist) works for me, though.

By: rdc

rdc — Tue, 16 Aug 2005 12:29:48 -0800

Air, Boards of Canada, Hooverphonic, Lamb, Lemon Jelly, Sneaker Pimps, Thievery Corp, Zero 7.

By: cilantro

cilantro — Tue, 16 Aug 2005 12:30:14 -0800

And Sigur Ros

By: nyterrant

nyterrant — Tue, 16 Aug 2005 12:32:44 -0800

( ) , by Sigur Ros, is full of interesting, relaxing and dramatic soundscapes, sung in a made-up non-language.

By: DelusionsofGrandeur

DelusionsofGrandeur — Tue, 16 Aug 2005 12:32:55 -0800

Arovane.

I own both of the albums on the linked page. They're both beautiful but some pieces of Atol Scrap sound like they were made by angels.

By: nyterrant

nyterrant — Tue, 16 Aug 2005 12:33:00 -0800

d'argh, cilantro beat me to it.

By: neckro23

neckro23 — Tue, 16 Aug 2005 12:36:58 -0800

I'm a big fan of Bill Laswell's Invisible Design for this purpose.

By: forallmankind

forallmankind — Tue, 16 Aug 2005 12:37:17 -0800

Can't help with triphoppy or slow rock, but for some electronic ambience that will sure aid sleep and take you right off into another world, try Aphex Twin's Selected Ambient Works Vol2. For specific tracks off this album, try Ropes (Disc1 Track 6) or Rusty Metal (Disc2 Track 11).

Brian Eno's Thursday Afternoon will also take you right off into another world - and perhaps a slightly less scary one than Aphex's....

By: jdroth

jdroth — Tue, 16 Aug 2005 12:38:11 -0800

I've purchased two CDs in the past five years the work well:

Dreamworld: Essential Late Night Listening and Chilled Euphoria, the latter of which is one of the best discs I have ever purchased. It's fantastic.

It looks as if both of those are currently out of print, but I'll bet they're available on eBay. Or, you know, roll your own based on the tracklists.

(Although the Chilled Euphoria is a "continuous mix" comprising special dubs, etc. so maybe that's not so easy.)

Whatever you do, though, seek out Chilled Euphoria. I guarantee you 100% satisfaction. Seriously.

By: jdroth

jdroth — Tue, 16 Aug 2005 12:39:14 -0800

Oops. Rereading your question, I see you want the music this weekend. Nixes the eBay option. Still: check out that Chilled Euphoria.

By: Doug

Doug — Tue, 16 Aug 2005 12:40:27 -0800

Iron and Wine, and Hem.

By: Kafkaesque

Kafkaesque — Tue, 16 Aug 2005 12:40:55 -0800

How about the Dirty Three? Their Ocean Songs album is beautiful. Instrumental violin, drums, and guitar only.

Sigur Ros might also fit the bill, though it might be too interesting to fall asleep to. Maybe also Mum, The For Carnation, Tindersticks, or an old This Mortal Coil album...It'll End in Tears is their best IMO.

By: mkultra

mkultra — Tue, 16 Aug 2005 12:45:19 -0800

Another vote for Sigur Ros. Spacemen 3 and Spiritualized might also serve you well.

By: Evstar

Evstar — Tue, 16 Aug 2005 12:51:33 -0800

Broken Social Scene's Feel Good Lost.

By: luriete

luriete — Tue, 16 Aug 2005 13:09:26 -0800

Jon Brion is great for this too.

By: Richat

Richat — Tue, 16 Aug 2005 13:12:00 -0800

daniel lanois whose current album is entirely instrumental, with lots of pedal steel (his first instrument, which he played lots of before going on to produce U2, Bob Dylan, Emmylou, Willie Nelson, etc) and is very atmospheric.

Other artists that can be great for this, but whose whole oeuvre isn't exactly quiet include the weakerthans, rheostatics, willie deville, josh rouse, rufus wainwright. Actually, one of the Rheos put out a beautiful (mainly) acoustic album a couple years back with an odd title, that is wonderful.

By: Guy Smiley

Guy Smiley — Tue, 16 Aug 2005 13:12:35 -0800

Robot Dog.

By: jamesonandwater

jamesonandwater — Tue, 16 Aug 2005 13:13:21 -0800

Orbital usually works for me. Good to study to too.

By: lbergstr

lbergstr — Tue, 16 Aug 2005 13:14:23 -0800

Stars of the Lid - The Tired Sounds of...

By: lbergstr

lbergstr — Tue, 16 Aug 2005 13:15:05 -0800

Also, I asked this same question on another board just yesterday.

By: LionIndex

LionIndex — Tue, 16 Aug 2005 13:15:08 -0800

"Let's be Still" by Yo La Tengo, off Summer Sun

Pretty much all of Drawing of Sound by Windy and Carl....which is currently unavailable at Amazon, although the items the do have available should give you an idea of their sound.

By: Eideteker

Eideteker — Tue, 16 Aug 2005 13:22:36 -0800

The second half of Critters Buggin's "Host" works well for me. In fact, I used to have a playlist called "sleep" that was composed of songs from that album and "Guest". The last track on "Host" is actually taken from a relaxation tape of some kind. It always helps me sleep.

By: Navek Rednam

Navek Rednam — Tue, 16 Aug 2005 13:47:37 -0800

Ali Farka Toure & Toumani Diabate - In The Heart of the Moon. Is a great album.

By: googly

googly — Tue, 16 Aug 2005 13:49:58 -0800

This question has been asked, in various forms, several times before. Check out these threads: 1 2 3.

By: voon_42

voon_42 — Tue, 16 Aug 2005 13:50:04 -0800

Download some of the mixes from theta states (look in the mix archive for 'robots are people too').

You could also record a couple of hours of some of the ambient radio stations on iTunes (Limbik Frequencies is v.good).

By: awesomebrad

awesomebrad — Tue, 16 Aug 2005 13:55:46 -0800

From the blue a few days ago, fleep... offers some nice deep house that you may find soothing. Check out a few of the different (free) mixes offered, you're sure to find one that works.

By: dflemingdotorg

dflemingdotorg — Tue, 16 Aug 2005 14:09:38 -0800

I found Kings of Convenience's "Riot on an Empty Street" album to be exactly what you're looking for.

By: werty

werty — Tue, 16 Aug 2005 14:16:09 -0800

One of my favorites for this is Stereolab's "Dots and Loops." If you liked Massive Attack previously, pick up the Massive Attack v. Mad Professor "No Protection" disc for a nice twist. Both albums are great when you're not sleeping, too.

By: The Jesse Helms

The Jesse Helms — Tue, 16 Aug 2005 14:17:13 -0800

I'll second a lot of these, mum, arovane, dirty three.

Also check out The Black Heart Procession, Migrade, Deru, Mouse on Mars (Glam,) Low, Magnog, Bardo Pond, early Cure (seventeen seconds,) The Pernice Brothers, Xela, The Red House Painters, We (The Square Root of Minus One.)

Boards of Canada get on my nerves, and Postal Service makes me want to vomit.

My favorite sleeping album: Autechre's Amber

By: Elpoca

Elpoca — Tue, 16 Aug 2005 14:17:43 -0800

Kruder & Dorfmeister and Tosca are fine for taking the edge off of the day. For example, High Noon off K&D's DJ-Kicks is pretty chillin'.

By: nylon

nylon — Tue, 16 Aug 2005 14:18:10 -0800

Sleep Machines

By: donnagirl

donnagirl — Tue, 16 Aug 2005 14:24:52 -0800

There were some fantastic suggestions in this thread - don't be fooled by the fact that I was asking for music for a baby.

By: drobot

drobot — Tue, 16 Aug 2005 14:26:20 -0800

Johann Johannsson. This is my favorite for airplanes.

By: p3t3

p3t3 — Tue, 16 Aug 2005 14:36:50 -0800

I'd second the votes for Beth Orton, Arovane, mum.

Also American Analog Set (probably the most perfect answer I can think of), Jessica Bailiff, Sugarplant (esp Happy/Trance Mellow, but might be hard to find on short notice), Slowblow, Nick Drake, Bedhead, most of the David Lynch soundtracks by Angelo Badalamenti..

By: Grangousier

Grangousier — Tue, 16 Aug 2005 15:00:59 -0800

Juana Molina has a foot in both acoustic and electric camps; Schleep and Cuckooland by Robert Wyatt, perhaps. The last Fripp and Eno Album is really quite lovely too. And, although not modern by any means, I'd like to suggest Thomas Tallis and William Byrd as wonderful falling-asleep music.

By: redteam

redteam — Tue, 16 Aug 2005 15:02:45 -0800

[old] Desmond Dekker and the Aces - Action! --(does it every time)

Mouse on Mars - Iaora Tahiti
Casino vs. Japan - Go Hawaii (or anything else)
Freescha - (anything you can find)
Ulrich Schnauss - A Strangely Isolated Place
Tipper - Holding Pattern (just kidding)

Tracks (for a comp?)
Peace Orchestra - Man Pt. 1
DJ Food - The Crow
Boards of Canada - Aquarius, Happy Cycling

Ok, that's all I'll suggest for right now ... for some reason I can't think of more tracks. I second the recommendations for Kings of Convenience.

By: Eekacat

Eekacat — Tue, 16 Aug 2005 15:24:57 -0800

I often go to sleep listening to Miles Davis "In a Silent Way". Though I don't know if that is contemporary enough for you.

By: docpops

docpops — Tue, 16 Aug 2005 15:38:33 -0800

Discreet Music, eno.

By: chuckforthought.com

chuckforthought.com — Tue, 16 Aug 2005 15:42:47 -0800

rocky votolato
air
kings of convience
mae

By: skyboy

skyboy — Tue, 16 Aug 2005 16:40:40 -0800

Jason Falkner's Bedtime With The Beatles cover album.

By: rfordh

rfordh — Tue, 16 Aug 2005 16:44:47 -0800

Múm, Arovane, B. Fleischmann, Colleen, Porn Sword Tobacco, Goldfrapp, Brian Eno, Jon Brion, Keren Ann, Rachel's, Keith Fullterton Whitman....

I would encourage a thorough investigation of any of these.

By: matildaben

matildaben — Tue, 16 Aug 2005 16:58:15 -0800

Bunch of stuff mentioned above, plus Emiliana Torrini.

By: Drevan

Drevan — Tue, 16 Aug 2005 17:17:35 -0800

Try "Govi" and "Eric Tinstad & Nancy Rummel", works for me and the Mr's.

By: ifjuly

ifjuly — Tue, 16 Aug 2005 18:03:52 -0800

Mojave 3/quieter songs from Slowdive/Neil Halstead. Air. Windsor For The Derby. American Analog Set. Explosions In The Sky. Sigur Ros. Stars Of The Lid. Rebecca Gates/The Spinanes (more Arches And Aisles than Manos). Red House Painters/Mark Kozelek/Sun Kil Moon. American Music Club/Mark Eitzel. Sufjan Stevens. Feist. Regina Spektor's softer songs. Quieter Kings Of Convenience songs. Saxon Shore. Dirty Three. Kinnie Star. Luscious Jackson. Spiritualized/Spacemen 3. Galaxie 500. Damien Jurado. Hum. Au Revoir Simone. Bonnie "Prince" Billy/Will Oldham/Palace. Iron And Wine. Julie Doiron/Eric's Trip. Crooked Fingers. Jose Gonzalez. Twilight Singers. Bjork. Moby's Everything Is Wrong. Hayden. His Name Is Alive. Arab Strap. Snow Patrol. I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness. Keren Ann. Casiotone For The Painfully Alone. Kate Bush. Audio Armada. Jens Lekman. Low. Cass McCombs. This Mortal Coil/The Hope Blister/Dead Can Dance/similar 4AD-type bands. My Favorite. Menomena. The Radio Department. Max Richter. The Smiths. Brian Eno. Jenny Toomey. Thalia Zedek. White Magic. Mia Doi Todd. Cat Power. Carissa's Wierd. Cut Copy. The Go-Find. Mazarin. Labradford. The Azusa Plane. Gorky's Zygotic Mynci. Josh Rouse. East River Pipe. Jay Farrar/Richmond Fontaine. The Durutti Column/Vini Reilly. Disco Inferno. Belly. Hell, early and mid-era Radiohead. Ida. Idaho. Bowery Electric. Knife In The Water. The Wooden Stars. The Reindeer Section. Leonard Cohen. Screen Prints. Piano Magic. Hood. Codeine/The New Year/Chris Brokaw. The Mountain Goats. Black Box Recorder. I Am Kloot. Songs: Ohia. Migala. Edith Frost. Pedro The Lion.

Most of these have mp3s floating around on the Web, particular on epitonic.com.

By: 517

517 — Tue, 16 Aug 2005 20:04:36 -0800

Laugh all you want but for falling asleep nothing beats Space Music. It has no rhythm, no vocals and usually no patterns.

By: xpermanentx

xpermanentx — Wed, 17 Aug 2005 03:47:07 -0800

Wow. Now this is a cool question!

Explosions In The Sky's The Earth Is Not A Cold Dead Place is 5 beautiful instrumental songs. I've read descriptions of their live performance as being "from total silence to total violence". There's some great listening on there. Even the song titles (Your Hand In Mine, The Only Moment We Were Alone). This record 45 minutes long, nice to fall asleep to.

Jose Gonzalez's debut Veneer is a melancholy acoustic album. There's a strange undertone of politics/unrest in all of the songs. The guitar playing is full of tricks, taps and neat quirks.

Godspeed You Black Emperor!'s Slow Riot For New Zero Kanada is an orchestral/rock masterpiece. Beautifully haunting strings over samples. Also check out their other albums Yanqui U.X.O and F# A# (infinity).

By: Thorzdad

Thorzdad — Wed, 17 Aug 2005 07:21:32 -0800

My kids daycare always used Ray Lynch's "Deep Breakfast" CD to put the kids out at naptime.

By: The Jesse Helms

The Jesse Helms — Wed, 17 Aug 2005 09:27:04 -0800

I've got to second or third some more of these that have been mentioned: B. Fleischmann, Colleen, Slowdive, Flying Saucer Attack.

I'd like to add more including DJ Krush's Zen album and anything by Le Bradford, although I like Mi Media Naranja.

By: The Jesse Helms

The Jesse Helms — Wed, 17 Aug 2005 09:27:24 -0800

La Bradford

By: hootch

hootch — Wed, 17 Aug 2005 15:56:33 -0800

Little late to the party, but Mazzy Star works for me.

By: dhartung

dhartung — Fri, 19 Aug 2005 00:01:47 -0800

Try the chillout and bedtime tags at Last.fm. (Also ambient, downtempo, calm, mellow, etc. as you prefer.)