If you're having a stressful day, these five albums, accompanied by a couch and a pint of your favorite Ben & Jerry's ice cream, are a perfect way to decompress. This is not a sponsored message, I just really like Ben & Jerry's.

1. "II" – Unknown Mortal Orchestra

II is the first album by Unknown Mortal Orchestra that I ever listened to, on a recommendation from my sister (Thanks, Kelsey). Years later, it still hasn’t lost its appeal. II is first on the list because it is, without a doubt, the most relaxing album I have ever listened to with the added bonus of being unlike anything else I have ever listened to. Straying from the established sound of mainstream indie, each song incorporates a raw mix of psychedelic guitar riffs and gravelly, yet smooth, vocals. With an album like this, where each song seems to fit the next like pieces of a puzzle, it’s easy to let everything blend together into one bland mass. Luckily, each song is distinct in its own right. Track four, “One at a Time,” demands attention with its bold and funky horn arrangement while track eight, “Dawn,” stands alone as an eerie, otherworldly instrumental. Everything about this album feels new yet comfortably familiar and is definitely worth the forty minutes it takes to check it out!

2. "Zaba" – Glass Animals

Chances are, you’ve already heard of Glass Animal’s masterpiece, Zaba,

but I’m here to tell you about it again. Zaba was released way back in 2014 but remains an incredibly unique example of psychedelic indie music. Listening to Zaba is an experience; it feels like you’re jumping into a kayak and paddling through the Amazon rainforest, but at the same time you’re indulging in a five-star luxury spa resort. Now, I haven’t actually experienced this medley of activities, but I imagine it feels a lot like how listening to Zaba makes you feel. The album blends ambient noise, heavy percussion, and lead singer, David Bayley’s, wispy vocals to create a trippy yet calming collection of music. If you’ve already heard the most popular song off the album, “Gooey,” but have never delved deeper, I urge you to check it out!

3. "Raised By Wolves" EP – Voxtrot

Technically, Raised By Wolves is an EP, not an album. Regardless, as it is a

collection of mellow music, I wanted to stick it in here. Raised By Wolves is a gathering of five songs by indie rock artist, Voxtrot. As the first track, the EP’s namesake song sets the tone for the rest of the collection. Moving away from the theme of psychedelic indie visible in II and Zaba, Raised By Wolves utilizes a more familiar sound, drawn from its melodic simplicity. What sets Voxtrot apart from other indie bands is lead vocalist, Ramesh Srivastava, whose voice carries a distinct, hauntingly soft quality through each track. The chorus of track three, “Missing Pieces,” might best display his vocal range while tracks two and four, “The Start of Something” and “Long Haul,” show off the relaxed lull which most characterizes his style. All in all, if you have the time, no stressful day couldn’t be made better by Raised By Wolves.

4. "Illinois" – Sufjan Stevens

Sufjan Stevens has made a huge impression on music. Sampled by countless artists, from Kendrick Lamar to Chiddy Bang, he seems to be present everywhere, yet his albums are still relatively unknown. While he has an expansive collection of albums, I’m going to focus on a personal favorite, Illinois. Illinois is best described as epic, one of those albums that, if you listen from start to finish, will leave you in complete awe. From the boastful horns to the bittersweet violins, each track beautifully complements the next in a way that is wholly and stunningly unique. Track nine, “Chicago,” may stand out as the most dynamic song on the album, beginning bold and sweet with an impressive medley of instruments and trailing off at the end into a chilling arrangement of angelic vocals. “Chicago” stands alone as a beautiful microcosm of the album as a whole. Besides the musical arrangements, the lyrics alone throughout the album are enough to warrant an emotional response. No song will hit as hard as “Casimir Pulaski Day,” which tells the heart-wrenching story of a girl’s death and is strangely fittingly accompanied by a banjo. Illinois is an admittedly hefty album, over an hour long, yet I can’t think of any other album that I would rather just sit down and listen to (other than another favorite Sufjan Stevens album, Carrie and Lowell). Well worth the listen!

5. "The Good Feeling Music of Dent May & His Magnificent Ukulele" – Dent May

I don’t know if this album counts as “mellow,” but Dent May’s voice is just so damn smooth. The Good Feeling Music of Dent May & His Magnificent Ukulele (what a mouthful) is sort of reminiscent of The Beach Boys’ sound without that distinct harmony of falsettos. Instead, the album is filled to the brim with May’s sweepingly bold vibrato. I have to warn you: before considering this album, you should know that it’s recorded in the style of 50’s to 60’s campy pop. If that doesn’t deter you, read on! The album features satirical songs like “You Can’t Force A Dance Party,” which relates the story of a sad, suburban house party gone wrong and “College Town Boy,” which pokes fun at, well, college town boys who haven’t done anything sincegraduating. A cover of The Four Preps’ “26 Miles (Santa Catalina)” fits in perfectly and pulls together the album’s overarching light, ukulele aesthetic. Certainly, every track is a pleasant and playful meld of ukele and vocals sure to brighten anyone’s day!