Clear the mind, move the body

Because of obvious reasons, we’ve all had one of the weirdest years of our lives, whether it’s losing a loved one, missing your friends, family or partner, losing your job or being a graduate not being able to find one, or if you’re like me and you’re fortunate enough to have a job, you might just be anxious or depressed because getting used to this “new normal” is tougher than you thought.

You’ll look back at this time last year and you were on holiday or at a gig or watching the footy with your best mate and 40,000 other people and you had no idea that 2020 would provide us all with a completely new life, that we’d have no control over. You’d laugh if some fella told you that in a year’s time it’d be the law to wear a mask near enough anywhere.

I’m not gonna make this a sob story all about me but I think writing words on a blog that everyone has access to is a good way of telling a story. I lost my nan this year and she was the first family passing I’d had to deal with, so it was weird because I didn’t know how to feel or how to react. But luckily for me, I’ve got a boss family, boss mates and a boss girlfriend, as well as the world’s greatest dog who never fails to do something stupid to make me laugh.

Like I’ve previously mentioned, I’m lucky enough to have a stable job, whether I love it, is another question, but it’s a job and *some of* the people I work with are sound, but some of the customers I have to put up with are not. And that can also fill me with anger and a “can’t-be-arsed” attitude.

Amongst other things, cycling is one of the best ways to clear my head, so since the start of April I’ve racked up over 1,000 miles and I’ve just ordered a new bike. Cycling in groups is great but when you go out on your own, you get to know yourself more and before you know it, you’ve done 40 miles and it makes you feel like you’ve achieved something.

There are ways and means of getting around feeling like nothing’s going right, and as well as cycling, music is one of the best ways to combat stress, so I’ve got 5 of my favourite songs that make you feel like there is good in the world, despite every news bulletin, every other tweet and every newspaper (not that I’d ever buy one), telling you that everything’s going wrong and everyone should be scared, worried, frightened, depressed etc etc etc.

Again, hats off to artists who’ve been releasing music this year amid the ongoing uncertainty of when they’ll be able to tour again. It must be a huge risk for a band, especially an up and coming band, to release music without being able to play it live because it could quite literally determine their future i.e. they may not have to funds to carry on.

I’ll get on to the songs now, but there was a lot I felt I needed to say beforehand. I’ll also quickly mention that not all of these songs were released in 2020, some are *that* good, that I’ll happily still listen to them. They’re also not all chilled out, send-yourself-to-sleep type songs either so don’t worry

Bonobo - Linked

I honestly don’t think I’ll ever get tired of this track. Phil Taggart introduced me to it last year on his Sunday night show on Radio 1 and I was hungover but the 6-minute duration of this song took my mind away from the hangover (temporarily) and inspired me(?!) Since then it’s been at the forefront of many playlists and was played on my speaker around 4 times a day at The Green Man in 2019, which you can read about in my “Archives” section.

The song itself is one of the most refreshing and laid back songs you could listen to, yet packs a punch as the heavy beats gradually build and eventually fade out towards the end. The beats are welded together with a dreamy atmospheric tone and the two put together to create this masterpiece.

Khruangbin - Evan Finds the Third Room

A nigh-on perfect mixture of funk, soul and dub all packed into 4 minutes of a song. Is there anything you can fault about this song? It features on their 2018 album ‘Con Todo El Mundo’, which in itself is flawless, and is Khruangbin’s best album in my opinion.

I reckon I’ve played this album through around 20 times and I’m still not bored of it, and because every song is different and is influenced by so many varieties of music from around the world, it’s impossible to become sick of it because of how versatile it is. It’s great for background music or a great choice to listen to if you need a pick-me-up.

Also, given that it’s an entirely instrumental record, it makes it easier for the music to do the talking, and not be dominated by any vocals.

Make sure this one’s loud if you listen to it.

High Contrast - Racing Green

Very different from the first two but every time I hear this song I automatically turn the volume up as loud as humanely possible.

It was released in 2004, and admittedly, I first heard it last year on the radio but last year was a much more successful year than this year has been. I saw High Contrast at Kendal Calling last year as well and was amazed when he dropped this liquid drum n bass track. It emits nothing but positive vibes and reminds me of being at a house party and being surrounded by good people (remember that?)

Defo get on to this one when you’re feeling a bit down because I can guarantee it’ll do something to you that you didn’t know music could do to you. Euphoria.

Gil Scott-Heron - Lady Day and John Coltrane

One of the best songs I’ve ever heard. Gil Scott-Heron’s music has been described as a soulful meeting of jazz songwriting and witty, yet passionate poetry. His lyrics are celebrated for their political awareness and the condemning of the racial tension in the USA.

It’s a very empowering track in terms of the lyrics and the soulful feel and the jazz type music only add to the meaning. It gives you visions of New York in the ’80s or something. That might be the most inaccurate analogy I’ve ever come up with but you know what I mean?

Most of Scott-Heron’s archive is formed of tracks with political influence and his main one, in my opinion, is ‘The Revolution Will Not Be Televised’. This is more of a poem/spoken language than a song but the lyrics are accompanied with music. The lyrics require your full attention, and despite it being upwards of 40 years old, it’s still pretty accurate today. I’d recommend this one to anyone, and even if you don’t like the song, you can’t deny that the lyrics are pretty relatable.

Palace - Have Faith

This one’s snuck into the list because I was in such a good place both physically and mentally when I first discovered Palace. It was the summer of 2017 and Glastonbury was about a week away, I’d just finished my A-Levels and the weather was bang on.

I played this song over and over again yet never got bored of it, and that’s when you know there’s something special about it. The album’s ace as well. It was released in 2016 and they’ve since released another one on top of it.

Whenever I hear any song in that record I immediately get transported to that summer of 2017, but this song especially, is one that will always be one to listen to and reminisce of that summer where worrying was a rarity and pandemics weren’t mentioned by anyone. No one had a clue what the term ‘social distancing’ meant and my only worry would be whether I’ve got enough money to buy a gig ticket.

The name of this track is pretty apt for the circumstances we’re trying to live in at the moment.

The fact that none of these songs were released this year is an indicator that they take me back to a better time (all of them apart from the Gil-Scott Heron one of course, as that was released in 1971). Whether it be hearing it blaring out from a stall at a festival, or I’ve had it dead loud on the radio in work and was, at the time, living a normal and happy life.

That’s not to say I’m not happy now, because like I mentioned above, I’ve got a job and ace people around me, but I didn’t have the constant worry of a pandemic on my mind and was allowed to see my grandparents back then.

I’m also not downplaying the standard of music that’s been released this year because some of my favourite songs of all time have been released this year, (I’ll have some more recommendations in the coming days.)

I do hope that this piece has helped in some way shape or form, because we’re all experiencing a very strange time at the moment, and everyone’s life has changed in some way but no matter how low you’re feeling, they’ll always be those certain few songs that will always be there when you need them and will take you back to that gig, or iconic set at a festival, or even when you were sat in the pub and one of your mates lashed in on the jukebox.

Those times will come again, but for now, we’ve got to stick together, try our best to stay positive, and be patient. And when those days are finally upon us again, we’ll appreciate it even more, and those songs, whether it be 5, 10 or a full playlist, will have helped us get through it.

Music is the answer.