Good Monday, babe.
I hope that youโre having a great start of the week. You know what they say โ well begun is half done, and I think that there is some truth is this common saying. Starting a day, a week or a project in a good mood and with high hopes is in my opinion the best way to do so.
My Monday usually starts quite early in the morning. With a warm cup of coffee, I slowly indulge in front of my wardrobe, looking at my clothes and trying to decide what to wear today. Sometimes more than an outfit pops up to my mind, giving me ideas for what Iโm going to wear for the rest of the week. And while I do so, delicate noises and voices resound around me, filling up my tiny apartment room.
What do I listen to when I need some ambient tunes, or to isolate myself while reading or studying? Keep on reading and youโll know, dear! And donโt forget to leave me a heart or a reaction to let me know what you think about my article.
Chillhop, or lo-fi hip-hop, is, to quote FindWords:
Chillhop is a subgenre of hip hop. The term was coined in the early 2000s to refer to music that blends jazz elements and samples with hip hop beats and electronic music.
Iโd add that it usually has no lyrics, or really few. I find it perfect to focus, or to keep as a background noise while doing other things such as putting on make-up, dressing up or tidying up; it is also a good choice when you are reading a nice book in public or studying at the library: it is perfect to isolate yourself from other sounds without getting too distracted.
You just want to unwind and relax? Then take a look at these lists of Netflix shows!
But for now, Iโll leave you a list of albums and artists to get to know this peculiar music genre.
Chillhop Essentials
It is a compilation that comes out every season, and I think that it is a very good way to discover new artists and new tunes. I always look forward to it, and listen to it all the time until a new compilation comes out. The last one is โFall 2018โ, and you can listen to it on YouTube or on Spotify. Try and give it a listen!
YouTube Channels
Talking about YouTube โ that wonderful website is what made me discover Chillhop. There are dozens of wonderful channels that publish every day new content, from short videos to hours-long mixes. My personal favourites are Feardog and The Bootleg Boy, but there are many more, such as Fantastic, Chilled Cow or Dreamy.
I really like Feardog because of the short mixes he creates and puts up on YouTube. There are many different videos, perfect for every kind of mood you might find yourself in, and always have a wonderful background picture.
Link to the channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChHXA_Hmsj4nYFoTY8pPdnA/featured?disable_polymer=1
The Bootleg Boy caught my attention with his โRaining inโ series and the playlists dedicated to different cartoons, in which tracks are inspired to or feature lines from the coolest animated shows, such as Rick and Morty or The Regular Show.
Link to the channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0fiLCwTmAukotCXYnqfj0A
Idealism
Idealism is a Finnish composer, one of my absolute favourite Lo-fi artists. I love listening to his Eps, made up of dreamy tracks that include piano scale and slow, melancholic rhythms. It leaves a strong emotional impact on listeners, creating a bond that allow them to project their deepest thoughts and emotions on the beats.
Find & support him on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6YJ4EgQzDfJnIHRbqIHAdD
Eevee
Eevee is a female composer from the Netherlands who chose a Pokรฉmon-style name that reminds us all of our childhood. Her albums are often very long, and, also thanks to the pictures on the front of her albums, give a very distinctive 90โs vibe. From Sailor Moon to Evangelion, her cover arts all feature some anime icon of the past glorious anime era. Some of her tracks are unexpectedly dark, and maybe thatโs what I like the most about her โ the unexpected depth that gives an unexpected twist to your listening.
Find & support her on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/artist/4pwqNyMSvuv7VOhQBdjB6Q
Philanthrope
From the German music scene come the tunes I play on repeat when I have to be in my zone. Philanthropeโs album โWaking Dreamsโ definitely scores high in my top ten when it comes to music I need on while studying or needing to focus. It gives me a strong, luxurious vibe that make me feel confident in what Iโm doing, and give a different light to the situation Iโm living at the moment: a simple afternoon on the assignment I have to turn in to my teachers becomes something different, finer, more important. Itโs a type of feeling thatโs hard to explain in words, and only a listen will help you to understand itโฆ
Find & support him on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/artist/13ACz7DIictCpSYGglNTHs
So thatโs it for this week. I hope that the different suggestions of music will help you to relax, or work as the perfect soundtrack for the moments in which you need to focus on what really matters in your life. Leave me a reaction or a heart to let me know if you found them pleasing!
