I need to chill out!
July 29, 2024 4:01 AM Subscribe
Please help me find some chillout music to mask the sound of constant jackhammering! Special considerations: I'm not usually a person who listens to music while working because I find it too distracting ... but these torturous jackhammers are far more distracting! So I need to play music on headphones, and I need to play it loud!
It needs to be long-playing, lowfi, laid back, smooth, without significant shifts in sound level, tempo, etc., and it can't be too complex, intricate, or interesting, and definitely no vocals! But also not too "ugh elevator music bleh." And not too crunchy. Actually, not crunchy at all, because those spits and pops are very annoying when stuck right into my ear on high volume. Probably electronica. Currently listening to a Minecraft soundtrack, which is pretty okay for this, but would love some suggestions!
It needs to be long-playing, lowfi, laid back, smooth, without significant shifts in sound level, tempo, etc., and it can't be too complex, intricate, or interesting, and definitely no vocals! But also not too "ugh elevator music bleh." And not too crunchy. Actually, not crunchy at all, because those spits and pops are very annoying when stuck right into my ear on high volume. Probably electronica. Currently listening to a Minecraft soundtrack, which is pretty okay for this, but would love some suggestions!
The lofi hip hop beats to study to or whatever they are called channels on YouTube are basically made for this. There's a bunch of them.
posted by deadwax at 4:28 AM on July 29 [5 favorites]
posted by deadwax at 4:28 AM on July 29 [5 favorites]
previously: The Deep Ark is an eight hour plus mix of 1990's Warp Records "Electronic Listening Music" and related beats.
posted by are-coral-made at 4:36 AM on July 29 [1 favorite]
posted by are-coral-made at 4:36 AM on July 29 [1 favorite]
Brian Eno's Music for Airports might work for you. It's a paid service, but it might be worth signing up for a trial of the calm app. You're requirement describe a significant portion of their music section.
posted by phil at 4:50 AM on July 29 [2 favorites]
posted by phil at 4:50 AM on July 29 [2 favorites]
Chillhop Essentials Summer 2024.
They have mixes for each season, going back several years, around an hour each. Also they have a slightly more uptempo "productivity" mix, as well as a live stream.
That's the best of the genre that's easy to grab a bunch of for free.
But honestly I don't think that will cover jackhammers at all. I'd personally go with something more aggressive while still being melodic, like squarepusher, who has enough sonic mass and complex percussion to compete with that kind of industrial noise.
posted by SaltySalticid at 4:51 AM on July 29 [2 favorites]
They have mixes for each season, going back several years, around an hour each. Also they have a slightly more uptempo "productivity" mix, as well as a live stream.
That's the best of the genre that's easy to grab a bunch of for free.
But honestly I don't think that will cover jackhammers at all. I'd personally go with something more aggressive while still being melodic, like squarepusher, who has enough sonic mass and complex percussion to compete with that kind of industrial noise.
posted by SaltySalticid at 4:51 AM on July 29 [2 favorites]
Try one of the channels at SomaFM. The basic starter is Groove Salad. You may be more into Space Station Soma or the Drone Zone. Try a few. They pay their artists and the curation is excellent.
posted by seanmpuckett at 5:16 AM on July 29 [7 favorites]
posted by seanmpuckett at 5:16 AM on July 29 [7 favorites]
I work from home, and am doing so during a major home renovation. I've started using Boise noise-cancelling headphones paired with YouTube videos of rain and thunderstorms. It works great.
posted by NotMyselfRightNow at 5:36 AM on July 29
posted by NotMyselfRightNow at 5:36 AM on July 29
I find even a lot of Brian Eno albums with lyrics work for this, but as phil notes, he has some purely instrumental/atmospheric albums. I also like dub reggae for work (ex. Agustus Pablo), though I wouldn't call it smooth - but it does have a degree of repetition that works for me.
posted by coffeecat at 5:47 AM on July 29
posted by coffeecat at 5:47 AM on July 29
The band Tortoise is my go-to when I need music but I have to concentrate. Anything before 2006 won't have lyrics.
posted by hydrophonic at 5:51 AM on July 29 [2 favorites]
posted by hydrophonic at 5:51 AM on July 29 [2 favorites]
You might try:
Weightless, Marconi Union (https://music.apple.com/us/album/weightless-10-hour-version/1325524252). I saw it on the blue, I think, as studied to improve mood, but I listen to focus.
Electonic Explorations, Rob Booth, an old podcast with lots of electronic music. May have voice and may be a heavier beat than you are looking for but lots of episodes so you can skip things.
(https://on.soundcloud.com/Dy5v3c5p118DzXFt9)
I subscribe to Flow State news letter, that sends out daily recs (https://www.flowstate.fm/). These end up being 30-60 minute tracks, so sometimes need more attention, but good to change it up.
Good luck!
posted by bruinfan at 6:22 AM on July 29
Weightless, Marconi Union (https://music.apple.com/us/album/weightless-10-hour-version/1325524252). I saw it on the blue, I think, as studied to improve mood, but I listen to focus.
Electonic Explorations, Rob Booth, an old podcast with lots of electronic music. May have voice and may be a heavier beat than you are looking for but lots of episodes so you can skip things.
(https://on.soundcloud.com/Dy5v3c5p118DzXFt9)
I subscribe to Flow State news letter, that sends out daily recs (https://www.flowstate.fm/). These end up being 30-60 minute tracks, so sometimes need more attention, but good to change it up.
Good luck!
posted by bruinfan at 6:22 AM on July 29
Not music, but great background sound patterns for work: the Binaural Beats selections on mynoise.net. Choose your favorite pulse rate and frequency.
posted by rabia.elizabeth at 6:49 AM on July 29
posted by rabia.elizabeth at 6:49 AM on July 29
Does it need to be music at all? Could you use white, pink, or brown noise? (What's the difference? tl;dr: white has a lot of high frequency noise, brown has virtually none of high frequency range, pink is in the middle.) Reading your requirements, noise might be better than music.
posted by Meldanthral at 6:51 AM on July 29
posted by Meldanthral at 6:51 AM on July 29
Not jackhammers but back in the day I successfully ignored car alarms outside with Steve Reich's Music For Eighteen Musicians playing at high volume. It's 67 minutes long.
posted by Rash at 7:45 AM on July 29 [2 favorites]
posted by Rash at 7:45 AM on July 29 [2 favorites]
You've landed on something with game music. There's a whole philosophy behind a lot of gaming music where it needs to be engaging but too engaging to distract you from playing the game.
The Fez soundtrack by Disasterpeace is chill and electro-y in a way that you might appreciate.
posted by slimepuppy at 8:04 AM on July 29
The Fez soundtrack by Disasterpeace is chill and electro-y in a way that you might appreciate.
posted by slimepuppy at 8:04 AM on July 29
I have been finding the "ambient space" genre to be perfect for me. It basically sounds like the music for a PBS show on the galaxy. There are long videos on Youtube (and a station on Pandora).
posted by lapis at 8:33 AM on July 29 [1 favorite]
posted by lapis at 8:33 AM on July 29 [1 favorite]
I really like Bohren & der Club of Gore for this. It really boosts productivity for me, despite (or perhaps because of) the glacial pace.
posted by Rube R. Nekker at 8:56 AM on July 29
posted by Rube R. Nekker at 8:56 AM on July 29
Aphex Twin - Selected Ambient Works 85-92 and Volume II.
Max Richter - Sleep. It's 8:22:45 long so it should cover the work day.
Jon Hopkins - Singularity
William Basinski - The Disintegration Loops I-IV
posted by exolstice at 10:12 AM on July 29 [1 favorite]
Max Richter - Sleep. It's 8:22:45 long so it should cover the work day.
Jon Hopkins - Singularity
William Basinski - The Disintegration Loops I-IV
posted by exolstice at 10:12 AM on July 29 [1 favorite]
Groove Salad as mentioned above is my go to. I have tried others and I always return to it.
posted by jasondigitized at 1:48 PM on July 29
posted by jasondigitized at 1:48 PM on July 29
I'm a bit late. But I don't see this specific shout. I also don't like music with words while working but often need something!
I've really been enjoying the LoFi Cafe, which has a range of stations of lofi hip hop, jazz, and similar.
Combines the music with 80s vibe pixelated visuals that I find really great. I throw it up on my third monitor.
https://www.lofi.cafe/
posted by dazedandconfused at 3:14 PM on July 29
I've really been enjoying the LoFi Cafe, which has a range of stations of lofi hip hop, jazz, and similar.
Combines the music with 80s vibe pixelated visuals that I find really great. I throw it up on my third monitor.
https://www.lofi.cafe/
posted by dazedandconfused at 3:14 PM on July 29
If it doesn't have to be music, brown noise and super deep red noise tend to be good for covering up construction noise. You can find 8+ hour long videos of different colors of noise on YouTube.
posted by Jacqueline at 5:23 PM on July 29 [1 favorite]
posted by Jacqueline at 5:23 PM on July 29 [1 favorite]
Seconding Mynoise; there are a number of generators which make sort of endless variations of low-key 'music' like this: Take It Easy , and you can also add some rough 'white' noise in the background to help block the industrial sounds: Steel Mill is one I use often.
posted by The otter lady at 11:47 AM on July 31
posted by The otter lady at 11:47 AM on July 31
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posted by HearHere at 4:10 AM on July 29