What's next in this this list songs?

March 19, 2020 8:13 AM

I write fiction and like to have a song on repeat in my ear for hours and hours when I'm writing. Having the emotional swell of music is really helpful, but there's some mystical unknown thing that makes a song work for me whereas another "similar" song won't work. Maybe there's something in common I don't see. I'd love recommendations!

Below is a list of songs that have worked really well for this purpose in the past. Any suggestions are welcome, though I've already tried going through the below artists' work so I think I've tapped all of their songs that work for this purpose for me.


-Maggie Rogers Alaska
-Kiiara Gold
-Santigold Disparate Youth
-Grimes Go
-Grimes Oblivion
-Chainsmokers Don't Let Me Down
-Phantogram Black Out Days
-Phantogram Don't Move

posted by Calicatt to Media & Arts (8 answers total)

I think you should look into Philip Glass music. I find it's great music that somehow works as well in the background as the foreground. I go for the qattsi soundtracks a lot more than his operas.
posted by Dmenet at 8:52 AM on March 19, 2020 [1 favorite]

Best answer: I love this question. I have a long-running Spotify playlist devoted to trying to capture that "emotional swell" and Maggie Rogers features prominently. Big caveat: I think your taste runs more electro-ish than mine, so my favorites might not quite work for you. But you never know!

Clairo, Bags

Glass Animals, Life Itself

Lucius, Two of Us on the Run and Go Home

Lady Lamb, Crane Your Neck and Billions of Eyes

The National, Apartment Story (I could listen to this song on repeat for infinity probably)
posted by catoclock at 8:54 AM on March 19, 2020 [1 favorite]

Not a song suggestion, but have you tried creating a pandora playlist of these and seeing what it plays?
posted by ananci at 9:49 AM on March 19, 2020

How about "To The Moon & Back" by Fever Ray?
posted by zeusianfog at 10:31 AM on March 19, 2020

You must try Shostakovich string quartets.
posted by Mr. Yuck at 11:23 AM on March 19, 2020

Here's a piece that I've done what you're doing with
Testimonial ocean part I
Testimonial ocean part II
repeats interlace
posted by ptm at 12:30 PM on March 19, 2020

Movie scores can be good for this! Pick a movie in your genre.
posted by nouvelle-personne at 12:55 PM on March 19, 2020

Best answer: Oh this is fascinating. I really like a lot of the songs you listed, but I know what you mean about one particular song grabbing you when another that seems really similar just doesn't do the same thing. Trying to key on some of the traits your examples seem to share (distinctive female vocalist, kind of pop/electronic from the indie side), here are some songs that I've played on heavy rotation that (to me) feel similar:

Disclosure feat. Lorde - Magnets

London Grammar - Strong, or Oh Woman Oh Man

Ryn Weaver - OctaHate

Florence + the Machine - Dog Days Are Over - I hesitated to include Florence here, since she seems a little more...epic? than most of your examples, but she's so close to right. She may have other songs with an emotional tenor closer to your examples, but this is definitely the one I stuck on repeat.

Sofi Tukker and Bomba Estereo - Playa Grande (Sinego Remix) - the specific song choice is key here, I love me some Sofi Tukker, but most of their work seems to have more frenetic energy than you're going for here

Tei Shi - Matando is my current favorite, though Spotify says Bassically is much beloved and sounds to me like it has potential here

Yumi Zouma - Persephone - they've had several albums since, including a brand new release containing Cool for a Second

I am fully expecting that none of these will be quite right, but maybe they will set you down some interesting paths. catoclock's suggestion of Glass Animals is also really good.
posted by sigmagalator at 2:27 PM on March 19, 2020