Tea Tunes: Thunder in the Lake

Kevin

無眠 Sleeplessly by 蘇打綠 sodagreen

It combines ambient electronic textures with a soft, flowing melody.The vocal is gentle and introspective, me you into a quiet, inner space.

 

Helen

Jump by Blackpink 

I thought I might be choosing a slow and relaxed Bon Iver-esque song but instead I find myself in the complete opposite realm. This song has a really fast beat but there's something about the deep basslines and heavy drum beats that help me go into hyper focus mode. Even the name suggests the opposite of sinking but I think it's the quickness of this song that drowns out my surroundings- allowing me to chill out. 

Jordan S

ファイアークラッカー by Yellow Magic Orchestra 

This song makes my neural network explode with activity. Cerebral fireworks (electricity) ファイアークラッカー aptly translates to firecracker funny enough. I can’t get enough of this tune it really gets me into a flow state. Shout out to @Will Frith for introducing me to this group 🧨

Amanda

Otherside by Perfume Genius

A song that is on the soundtrack to my life, acting like a magnifying glass catching sunlight, whatever's weighing on my mind gets illuminated and intensified under its focus. I've listened to this during moments when worries pile up like sediment, clouding everything, and somehow Mike Hadreas's voice cuts through it all. It makes me take this involuntary, deep gulp of air, and when I exhale, all those questions I've been carrying, the present anxieties, the half-formed doubts, seem to release with my breath. So when I read that he described writing it as "little prayers to tell himself," it creates this space where I can offer up whatever I'm struggling with, and in that resounding boom of sound, that metaphorical wash of warmth across my face, I feel something answering back * maybe it's myself, maybe it's something larger * but there's this murmuring sense of being heard, of finding myself on the other side of whatever was holding me down.

Jose

The Whole Lay by Hype Williams. 

Hype Williams is a name that doesn’t ring out as much as it should. The mind behind so many iconic music videos of the 90’s and one of the best looking movies of all time— Belly, here he tries to take your mind to another world, this time, through your headphones. The entire song sounds otherworldly and you can’t help but pause and take a listen. A truly unique experience

Danny

Just Wrong by Pino Palladino, Blake Mills

I love the way the melody in this song rises, with guitar, bass and saxophone all filtered through different synthesized tones and interlocking with each other. It feels ethereal and searching until the drums come in with a groove to tie it all together.

Stacy

Who Let The Dogs Out by Baha Men

"Who Let The Dog’s Out by Baha Men is my go-to song when I need to turn inward for reflection and meditation. At first glance, the song is deceptively simple, but I invite you to dig deeper past the initial question. Now that the dogs are out, what do you do? You may want to rein them in and contain the dogs, forcing them into unnatural stillness. But then you remember the line ‘hey, man, it's part of the party … Yippie yi yo’, and realize that all you can do is focus on the present moment—without attachment to meaning or outcome—and simply let the dogs be out."

Lael

Now That I’m Older by Sufjan Stevens

I adore the melodic choral moments in this song that feel weighted and pleading. I find myself floating in an ocean of my own proclivities. Contemplative and curious.

Jordan N

The Mother Lode by Thom Yorke

This song is full of introspective melodies and synth textures, but driven by a kinetic beat and rhythm. It’s a perfect song to slow down and lean into your internal emotions but also stay moving forward through them.

Z

Hide by FKA Twigs 

Have you ever swam in a pool of honey? Neither have I, but every time I listen to this song, that’s exactly how it feels. Each element contributes to the sense of transcendence - from the reverb of the guitar, to the shifting tempo of the percussion, all anchored by one of the most ethereal voices to have ever graced my ears. The music doesn’t just play - it cascades over me, wrapping around me in a way that feels completely untethered from time.

Taylor

Panoram by Toluka Lake View

There are many kinds of meditation but I prefer flow: being between places, jotting down thoughts by lamplight, or opening a window on a rainy day. Toluka Lake View flows and dreams along. It seems like it was written on the other side of the mirror. A good friend showed me this album years ago and I've taken it with me ever since. 

Tricia

Fine Shrine by Purity Ring

This was the first song that came to mind when I thought of meditative and electric textures. This song quite literally makes me feel like I'm moving in slow motion. Every time this song comes on, it makes me feel like a slab of butter on hot toast. More than anything it makes me feel in the moment, like I forget about everything else going on and feel extremely grounded.

Nicco

Retro Electric by Keisuke Kikuchi

I tend to listen to this when I'm looking to make whatever task I might be doing a little more interesting. It's dynamic and commands focus, it allows me to separate from the excess thoughts of the mind and commit to the action of the present. Genuinely my laundry has never been folded more epically than when this song is on. 

Marcos

The Birth and Death of the Day by Explosions in the Sky 

Any Explosions in the Sky song would have probably satisfied this prompt, but this is the first one that came to mind. Their music, and this song in particular really make me feel something. The way it draws you in and then builds up always gets me. 

Christopher

Olson - Boards of Canada

This is a song that focuses around a really simple chord progression; no rhythm section or percussive elements. For all of ninety two seconds it builds into a momentary flutter and quickly dissipates. It feels like waiting to watch a sunrise, where the anticipation is to witness a really brief but beautiful moment. When I hear it, my mind sinks into a place that is ethereal and other-worldly; where time slows down and the colors are brighter. 

Will

Slope by OK Ikumi

The first chord is like a gentle morning wakeup, easing me into a light awareness as each sonic layer is added. That first chord is held throughout, and offers a grounding presence even with some of the busy modulation going on around it (the modulation itself an invitation to look around and take a deep breath). It's just long enough to bring me into the waking world with a big stretch and a look out the window at the day that's just starting for me.

Emily

Help Me Lose My Mind - Disclosure 

This song feels like a slow exhale. The rollout is soft, like it’s speaking gently, yet directly to something in me. When the beat drops, there’s this feeling of total freedom. I used to play it driving the Pacific Coast Highway, windows down, sunroof open, letting the sun and sound wash over me. Even now, I cue it up while rollerblading along the lakefront. Banger