Truthfully Cuckoo, I have a lot of people telling me that the music I listen to is ‘sad’ and ‘melancholy’. My counter argument, however, is that I’m clearly constantly stressed, and have to wind myself down all the time. Therefore, I’m constantly seeking out new music that chills me out; not to mention ones which I can have a little singalong to. Beautiful lyrics, and even more stunning videos (which I highly recommend watching!) have made my recent music experiences refreshing.
To Buffalo & Back – Yorktown Heights
‘I wonder what she’ll say when she sees my face’
A delightful stop motion video coupled with a soft acoustic guitar greets your ears as soon as you press play. Being a relatively unknown band from Trinidad, you can imagine my excitement when I stumbled across this gorgeous, thought-provoking track after randomly clicking through YouTube.
Of Monsters and Men – Little Talks
‘So hold my hand I’ll walk with you, my dear’
A rather upbeat and anthem-esque song, with lovingly crafted lyrics, and a stellar video to match, chills run down my spine whenever I listen to this. This Icelandic indie folk band creates music so that it’s physically impossible not to tap your feet.
Regina Spektor – Samson
‘And the bible didn’t mention us, not even once’
Originally discovering this elegant artist through Marc Webb’s (500) Days of Summer, I couldn’t resist flicking through her songs after hearing ‘Us’. A soft, angelic voice, and an elaborate accompanying piano piece makes for a perfect wind-down track. Insightful lyrics add to this wonderful experience.
Of Monsters and Men – Dirty Paws
‘The dragonfly it ran away, but it came back with a story to say’
It’s alright to have more than one song from the same band for this article, right? After hearing this song as the audio track for The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, I kept coming back to it. Mesmerising lyrics, coupled with a surprisingly invigorating tune makes Dirty Paws so much fun to listen to… I just wish I could see it live!
The XX – Intro
Breaking my pattern for ‘quote of the song,’ (because there’s no lyrics!) Intro leaves me with the impression of living without significance in the urban jungle. With a monotonic repetitiveness which is beautifully captured in the Londoner’s ‘dream pop’ songs, it’s fantastic to listen to on long train journeys, watching the world go by.
