Hey, Collegiettes! It’s that time of year again… exam time! If you are one of the lucky ones whose professors do not believe in exams, congratulations! (I envy you). If, like me, you are running around in sweats and unbrushed hair because taking the time to change into real pants and brushing said hair is impossible, thanks to studying, I have just the songs for you. Instead of an album this week, I have for you a few songs that will help you decompress and not think when you do have a moment.
“The Earth is Not a Cold Dead Place” by Explosions in the Sky
My discovery of this band was utterly unexpected and off-topic, but suffice it to say I am glad I did. They are labeled as “post-rock,” which threw me for a moment…until I listened to them. It was like being both filled up with feeling and emptied, so all that was left was peace and calm. My personal favorites are “Your Hand in Mine” and “First Breath after Coma.” They probably are not what you would expect, but worth the experiment.
“Ara Batur” by Sigur Ros
I know I have already talked about this band, but I could not bring myself to leave off this song. Just as with Explosions in the Sky, you are lulled into peace, the music taking you through a tranquility forgotten in the chaos of exam week.
“Adagio from Fantasy for a Gentleman” by Patrick O’Hearn
The amount I love this song is a bit absurd, because solo piano is not generally my thing — that is, until I found this album, “Sundown: A Windam Hill Piano Collection,” which I recommend if piano is your cup of tea.
“I Giorni” by Ludovico Einaudi
This is another piano piece that I was not expecting to love. There was a version of this song going around the Internet paired with rain and a cat’s purr, advertised as the most relaxing thing ever. The song alone is enough for me.
“Lux Aurumque” by Eric Whitacre
This song comes in both choral and instrumental versions. Being an instrumentalist myself, I prefer that one. I recommend putting on headphones, sitting back, and just letting yourself feel.
I hope your exam week goes well and that you don’t sleep through too much of winter break!