Artists like Blossom Dearie, The Sundays, and Astrud Gilberto remind me of low-growing plants, watching geese dip into the pond with the smallest of ripples, and designating time to be mindful –– particularly outdoors –– amidst the whirlwind that has been the last couple of months. I began to compile this playlist on that very walk a few days ago and have been feverishly editing the order of the songs since, as I regain some of the motivation and energy that my senior spring workload, a tedious post-grad job search, and the weight of the current political situation has sapped from me. As always, music makes everything feel lighter, and there’s something to be said for curating a mix of mood boosters to make you feel both soft and reinvigorated, even if it feels artificial at first.
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This mix of 30 songs showcases a healthy mix of classic and contemporary: vocal jazz standards, instrumental grooves from Brazil, Ethiopia, Japan, and more, ‘souldies,’ and recent finds of mine that seem perfectly suited to this time of year.
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In the melancholy of late July, I’ve spent a lot of time listening to new (or new-to-me) music that encapsulates the feeling of a soft summer breeze: music for easy listening, for spending time in nature, for pushing fears and obligations away (even if temporarily). This 40-song collection spans…
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At some point in February, everything starts going faster. I’ve felt this shift every year since starting college, and I attribute the feeling to the transition between winter and spring in Ohio. The winter sputters on and off, snowing several inches after an encouraging spell of 50-degree days, lingering uncomfortably until something finally decides it’s spring.
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As a bit of a running joke, my dad famously woke up to the song “Need A Little Sunshine” by Augustana every morning for several years. It’s a perfect song for easing into the day; it doesn’t jolt you awake, but it has just the right amount of energy to motivate you to get up, get dressed, and get out of the house…
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