Music for study anyone?

[kerriesakura]

As you know Big Scary Course starts soon. As you also know I have heap big commute every day and I'll have to do a lot of reading on the train. Which is fine. It's just that other people, they won't shut up. I can't believe they don't shut up.

Which is where the magic of noise-cancelling headphones comes in, but you need music to go with them. I've downloaded some classical compilations to have as my background, but I'm wondering if there's anything else I should have. I'm talking mostly instrumental laid-back stuff. I believe this is sometimes called chillout, but I don't really care what it's called...

So yes, basically: music to shut out the background racket that won't distract me too much from reading. If you know what I should be looking for, please tell me. Help is appreciated. :)

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Comments

[zooniverse.livejournal.com]

A bit of Jazz would probably be good for it. I reccomend John Coltrane to start off with. If you don't like that you'll never like Jazz!

[mirrorballmoon.livejournal.com]

You got any specific titles for me, my lovely? :)

[zooniverse.livejournal.com]

Blue train is always a good start but Love Supreme is his meisterwork :)

[cyranocyrano.livejournal.com]

Lemme have a look. How does the first Enigma album fit in this scheme?

[mirrorballmoon.livejournal.com]

I imagine that'll be fine, so long as it means I don't have to listen to 98 students talking about shoes and alcopops. ;)

[cyranocyrano.livejournal.com]

Also, I find lyrics generally distracting when I'm trying to do something else, unless they're in a language I don't understand. Does that follow for you?

[yeahsapphire.livejournal.com]

Explosions in the Sky maybe?

[mirrorballmoon.livejournal.com]

Ooh, have heard good things. Any specific albums/songs/whathaveyer? :)

[speednik.livejournal.com]

You made a good start with the Super Mario Galaxy soundtrack but it still gets too exciting and distracting. We discussed Oldfield before but even his more laid back releases tend to have dynamic shifts that get big and exciting. Vintage electronica stuff is a good way to go as long as it doesn't develop itself too far. You want something going on so that outside sound is less bothersome but you also want something that you can basically ignore. Many blog writers put on film scores and the like although they also can get a bit rowdy.

I wouldn't normally recommend him but here's where Jean Michél Jarre (particularly Oxygene) really comes into his own.

Other recommends:
Nine Inch Nails - Ghosts I - IV (might seem strange recommending NIN but trust me.
Lindstrøm - Where You Go I Go Too
Brian Eno - Another Green World
Global Communication - 76:14 (this may be a bit too over ambient)

Will think of more.

[mirrorballmoon.livejournal.com]

This is going to annoy the shit out of you, but - my dad fuckin' loved JMJ and listened to him constantly. And I'll happily admit that I like the music, though fuck if I know what specifically he listened to by him (though having a nosey makes me remember the Rendez-vous tracks seem familiar by title). But I'm worried now that if I go seek it out, it'll just make me think of my dad and I'll start bawling.

ON THE OTHER HAND, it would be perfect study music. And I really liked it. UGH.

[mirrorballmoon.livejournal.com]

Although knowing my dad it was probably a best of. When I was young, like really little, he played a vinyl of Equinox all the time and I remember asking him what those owl things on the sleeve were (er, ETA: even though they're not owls, but I thought they were, no matter how often it was explained to me; they were owls). All the time. I made up a whole universe for them. I'd forgotten that until literally five minutes ago and now remember it clear as a bell. NONSENSE BRAIN IS NONSENSE

[speednik.livejournal.com]

While I was out, I had a massive DUH moment and remembered:

Penguine Café Orchestra - Preludes, Airs and Yodels It's a compilation but that's okay with me. Get it, put it on, marvel at how much of it you already know from the telly, enjoy.

If you remember my wedding, this is the album I had on before they unceremoniously shoved Rachel through the side door.

[corporalcorpse.livejournal.com]

On the theme of Brian Eno that Chris brought up, Music For Airports is VERY relaxing, as is the title track of Discreet Music.

In terms of ambient classical stuff William Basinski is god, if hard to find (I recommend the new one in particular, it's called something silly like 928426). Erik Satie is pretty relaxing as well, though he'll almost certainly be on the classic chillout.

Stars Of The Lid's "And Their Refinement Of The Decline" is very, very ambient as well, so you may want something a bit more involving like Eluvium's "Copia". Similarly Grouper's "Dragging A Dead Deer Up A Hill", despite its name, is very good, though does have singing.

I can name other things if you want. I'm glad to feel like I can finally provide a brotherly service!

[corporalcorpse.livejournal.com]

Predictably, I thought of a load more after I wrote that. Earth's "The Bees Made Honey In The Lion's Skull" (this icon is the awesome cover art) is one of my favourite albums of the past few years. It's like a really slow, epic country album, but much better than that sounds.

There's also some good ambient electronic stuff - The Field's "From Here We Go Sublime" and Burger/Ink's "Las Vegas" are both good. In terms of early electronica, as Chris mentioned, "Phaedra" by Tangerine Dream is pretty excellent.

And somehow I forgot Steve Reich's "Music For 18 Musicians" which is one of my favourite albums ever. It's modern classical stuff, but is very relaxing and beautiful.

Phew! I think that's all!