Let us know what you’ve been listening to for focus recently. The most upvoted response will receive a complimentary tee from our new apparel line (coming soon).
Quite right. I’ve found his recordings with Harold Budd most beneficial…On Land is otherworldly. Just a sonic masterpiece from one of the most innovative sound designers ever. Music for Installations (2018)…very fine.
Nils. Highlight. He plays and records the totality of the instrument. A creative and skilled defiance of tradition. Sonically beautiful boundary exploration.
Reznor's music perfectly fills my writer's room—especially his soundtracks and other instrumentals. The lack of lyrics (and it's the same with jazz) often proves to be less of an overwhelming distraction.
Dustin O'Halloran, Ólafur Arnalds, Balmorhea, Johannes Bornlöf, Peter Sandberg, Alexandre Desplat, Max Richter, Jóhann Jóhannsson, Austin Farwell, Yehezkel Raz, Andrea Vanzo, Alexis Ffrench, Philip Glass, Thibault Cauvin, Hans Zimmer
I have been listening to Gavin Bryars Sinking of the Titanic for almost fifty years now. It holds up brilliantly. As does all of Brian Eno. Elaine Radigue--I have to check out. Thanks!
Today I'm listening to The Herbaliser Band - Session 1 & 2. Instrumental versions of tracks from their other albums. It's just the right level of groovy and funky to sit nicely in the background whilst I work.
No artist in particular; I frequently visit the 'Lava Lamp' and 'Music for Plants' playlists. East Forest, Brian Eno, various baroque composers, Debussy, various jazz performers/arrangers, Chas Smith, Dobrawa Czocher [know nothing about them/him/her but I see that on my 'Study' playlist a lot], Brad Mehldau before introduction here, Oresund Space Station, Kaki King, Cavern of Anti Matter, Fridge. I am not counting music heard here or music I listened to while working but were unwise choices.
Because of this thread I found myself listening to Eliane Radique that so many of you listed. In art college 1974 it was required viewing to see “Wavelength” a film by fellow Canadian, Michael Snow, a pianist and experimental filmmaker. The soundtrack was exactly as the title suggests. In both cases their music invoked a subtle sense of irritation and hyper vigilance. The singularity of electronic tones; the not human expression.
With the announcement of Hyper Light Breaker, I've fallen back into a Disasterpeace rabbit hole. His whole catalog is full of gems, but his solo piano album Disasters for Piano is particularly nice to work to.
(And wait, is it possible Flow State has never featured his music??)
In the morning, Thomas Morley (madrigal composer, 1557-1602) and similar renaissance and baroque to get the brain in gear; in the afternoon; Weather Report, Pat Metheny, and the funkier side of Miles Davis help keep the post-lunch sleepies away.
Brian Eno.
Thursday Afternoon is great focus music any day of the week for me
Quite right. I’ve found his recordings with Harold Budd most beneficial…On Land is otherworldly. Just a sonic masterpiece from one of the most innovative sound designers ever. Music for Installations (2018)…very fine.
Music Has the Right to Children (album) by Boards of Canada
Such an incredible record. Tomorrow's Harvest, from 2013, is pretty fantastic too.
I've listened to that countless times since way back when. An all time fav
This is the best thread the internet has ever seen <3
Nil's Frahm's latest (a triple set to get me through the afternoon) - Music for Animals
Nils. Highlight. He plays and records the totality of the instrument. A creative and skilled defiance of tradition. Sonically beautiful boundary exploration.
Inspired to check this out now; extended pieces are a good focus choice
Pacific by Haruomi Hosono, Shigeru Suzuki and Tatsuro Yamashita is a recent favourite.
I'm loving it, thanks for the rec!
Hermanos Gutiérrez. Just pick any album.
Love these guys!
Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross' score of the Ken Burns documentary on the Vietnam War
Reznor's music perfectly fills my writer's room—especially his soundtracks and other instrumentals. The lack of lyrics (and it's the same with jazz) often proves to be less of an overwhelming distraction.
Kid Koala - Space Cadet really flows my state
Dustin O'Halloran, Ólafur Arnalds, Balmorhea, Johannes Bornlöf, Peter Sandberg, Alexandre Desplat, Max Richter, Jóhann Jóhannsson, Austin Farwell, Yehezkel Raz, Andrea Vanzo, Alexis Ffrench, Philip Glass, Thibault Cauvin, Hans Zimmer
Elaine Radigue, Gavin Bryars, Brian Eno and some baroque music
I have been listening to Gavin Bryars Sinking of the Titanic for almost fifty years now. It holds up brilliantly. As does all of Brian Eno. Elaine Radigue--I have to check out. Thanks!
No specific bands or musicians, but usually I like Jazz and Lo-fi music. Sometimes classic music as well.
Ólafur Arnalds & Alice Sara Ott - The Chopin Project
Pumping myself up with some Hans Zimmer & James Newton Howard
The Dark Knight (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Yes! The Dark Knight album used to be my go to study music. You should check out his live album released this month. Album title is just "LIVE".
Thank you for informing me about the LIVE album! Listening to "Mombasa" as I type this. The energy is so excellent!
Oh wow, thanks! It's in my queue!
The Lost Art of Wandering by Raymond Richards. Cosmic slide guitar galore.
Also this https://open.spotify.com/album/3FGShWqxf6JZakpBnPrGI5?si=AtLTISm-RhibJhhAfjGSVg
Loved this!
The correct answer is: Flow State recommendations ;)
* Methods Body, _Methods Body_
* Ellen Arkbro, _I get along without you very well_
* Bitchin Bajas, _Bajascillators_
* Qasim Naqvi, _Two Centuries_
* SAULT, _Air_
I've very much enjoyed this playlist called "Working from Home 8 hours" (which is what I do, LOL!), from Poolside: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3NCKszCCLCqs0vf4jpcunD?si=a03852aff4094abe
Today I'm listening to The Herbaliser Band - Session 1 & 2. Instrumental versions of tracks from their other albums. It's just the right level of groovy and funky to sit nicely in the background whilst I work.
https://open.spotify.com/album/4DdPa01IS5X2clpf6Nw8Gs?si=yl79aSmRTPic_ofmxkXnhA
Hania Rani
She is amusing!
Dirty Beaches, John Fahey
Jon Hopkins, Manu Zain, Above & Beyond (acoustic), The Midnight, Thomas Newman
Arooj Aftab. Big love for her voice and tenderness in making music.
Nurse with Wound’s Soliloquy for Lilith, which runs nearly two hours… excellent for popping open a book and settling in!
Love seeing this here. I visited the band in London when I was there in 1986, around the time SFL was released.
Cool!
French pop music from the 90s.
More details? Bands, performers?
Zazie!
Thanks!
John Lyell, Jacaszek, Markus Reuter, Harold Budd, Colleen, Photay, Chihei Hatakemaya, Arushi Jain, Phaeleh, Aleksi Perala...
The instrumental second half of the album Low, by David Bowie.
Also All Saints, his compilation of instrumentals that includes parts of the second halves of Low and Heroes
I saw him play both Low, and Heroes live, complete with Brian Eno. Best concert ever.
No artist in particular; I frequently visit the 'Lava Lamp' and 'Music for Plants' playlists. East Forest, Brian Eno, various baroque composers, Debussy, various jazz performers/arrangers, Chas Smith, Dobrawa Czocher [know nothing about them/him/her but I see that on my 'Study' playlist a lot], Brad Mehldau before introduction here, Oresund Space Station, Kaki King, Cavern of Anti Matter, Fridge. I am not counting music heard here or music I listened to while working but were unwise choices.
Lava Lamp is awesome
Nils Frahm's 'Trippin with...'
Riuichi sakamoti JB Dunkel, Nikolas Godin
Ryuichi 😍
Mythic Sunship
All thing Son Lux and Liminal by The Acid!
Eliane Radigue (drone pieces)
Robert Rich (everything)
Klaus Schulze (late 70s long form pieces)
Biosphere (everything)
Stereolab (extended motorik beat pieces)
Trent Hawkins (weekly 90 minute free concerts on Soundcloud)
SB-10 by Unknown Mortal Orchestra
40+ minute instrumental single that came out just a couple of months ago!
Because of this thread I found myself listening to Eliane Radique that so many of you listed. In art college 1974 it was required viewing to see “Wavelength” a film by fellow Canadian, Michael Snow, a pianist and experimental filmmaker. The soundtrack was exactly as the title suggests. In both cases their music invoked a subtle sense of irritation and hyper vigilance. The singularity of electronic tones; the not human expression.
Mary Lattimore
Air by SAULT
That and its sequel Aiir are two of my go-to albums for reading. Such beautiful arrangements.
Hans Zimmer's live album that came out this year. Great collection of his work!
https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_mrZhWBtsRottWcxazCTTwPFIjWMyyf9os
Aphex Twin.
Brian Eno, Ziyang Zhao, Kaki King, ...the Cercle channel on YouTube is a nice second screen setup.
Various series intros like House of Cards (Jeff Beal) and The Succession (Nicholas Britell) and some Prodigy, Com Truise, Martin Cilia...
I've been really into anything with an emphasis on organ and drums. For example, all recs from Flow State:
Trummor & Orgel
Medeski, Martin & Wood
Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio
Rosinha De Valença
Skee Mask
Peter Gundry certainly gives some dark vibes while being one of the best composers who help me to focus. Goëtia is my favorite among his pieces.
Stars if the lid - almost anything
Shared moments by Ustad Alla Rakha & Zakir Hussain
Ryo Fukui- Mellow Dream
Stars *of the lid
Robert Rich’s Echo of Small Things.
Hantologies by Quiet Voices
Immediate Horyzon by Alessandro Cortini
Incandescence by Hollan Holmes
Reminiscence by Hélène Vogelsinger
Ricochet, Rubicon et Quichotte by Tangerine Dream
Music for compline by Stile Antico
Indigo Road by Ronn Mcfarlann
As Above So Below by Ferry Corsten
Idle Chatter by Paul Lansky
Volcano by Saycet
Shamal by Gong
The Serpent's egg by Dead Can Dance
Stasis Sounds for Long-Distance Space Travel II by Lake
Caverns of Time by Evan Bartholomew
and also : Mount Shrine, Rafael Anton Irisarri, Abul Mogard, Poemme, Forgotten Future
FKJ - specifically, the Cercle FKJ feature on YouTube filmed in the middle of Salar de Uyuni, the world's largest salt flat. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCNlt5nvSI8
The "If Beale Street Could Talk" score by Nicholas Britell is always my go to!
Long time favourite soundtrack. From 1986. “37.2 degrees le matin” or as it was called in English. “Betty Blue” by the ever enchanting Gabriel Yared.
With the announcement of Hyper Light Breaker, I've fallen back into a Disasterpeace rabbit hole. His whole catalog is full of gems, but his solo piano album Disasters for Piano is particularly nice to work to.
(And wait, is it possible Flow State has never featured his music??)
Not only possible, but actual. We're looking into it.
In the morning, Thomas Morley (madrigal composer, 1557-1602) and similar renaissance and baroque to get the brain in gear; in the afternoon; Weather Report, Pat Metheny, and the funkier side of Miles Davis help keep the post-lunch sleepies away.