Spontaneously and out of nowhere, you and your friends find yourselves in the late hours past midnight. Drowsiness, curiosity and necessities for thought begin to take over sporadically. You find yourselves moving outside to the fresh air with only your minds and one or two devices to project both light and some late night tunes. However, how does one balance a calm, exhausting night in the hours of 2 a.m. and beyond? Below are seven selections that I have taken time and consideration to add to a playlist for the “midnight hours.”
1. "Good Morning Mr. Wolf" by Patrick Watson
Starting off this list is a song by an artist who does not get nearly enough credit. “Good Morning Mr. Wolf” is deeply thought-provoking. During one’s first listen, it will be impossible to talk over the words, rhythm and transitions of this masterpiece of the night. Starting off with an instrumental taste of what’s to come, Watson uses instruments completely absent in a majority of all mainstream music. What truly makes this a brilliant midnight addition is the sense of mystery lost from intentional lack of pronunciation and an orchestration of a grouping of fast percussion, whining strings and a stabilizing piano. If there was ever a song to turn on when thoughts begin to arise and time begins to trap you, “Good Morning Mr. Wolf” is definitely an important addition to anyone’s collection.
2. "Charlie Don't Surf" by The Clash
Showing up on this list second is a song by The Clash that has remained far under the radar for far too long. “Charlie Don’t Surf” begins with distortion and anything other than clarity. Almost containing a reggae undertone, this rock song brings its listeners out onto an ocean of distortion. Appearing on a lesser-known album, “Sandinista!,” this single can fill anyone’s thirst for a song that is unknown to most if not the entire public. If anything else, a warm and humid night filled with irritating silence can be quickly taken over with delight from this 1980 forgotten classic.
3. "Secret" by Maroon 5
“Everyone has a secret. Can they keep it? Oh no they can’t.” In the late hours of the night, possibilities grow endless. Two members of a friend group can become infatuated with each other in a mere few hours. They can miss the common signs sent to each other entirely. However, the late hours of the night near sunrise can provide many answers to questions that were never asked. Questions such as “Did you want to spend time with me?” and “Was it me that you were talking to?” In any case, the mysterious antics of Maroon 5’s “Secret” provides just the mood drop to mentally answer questions that are delivered without words. The eeriness as well as the smooth talks of Adam Levine can move two people into a lack of space that won’t be found uncomfortable. In any other case, “Secret” provides an atmosphere in the vocal arts that are absent from most songs.
4. "Wow" by Beck
An acid trip in its mixture of sounds and instruments, “Wow” by Beck is by far the strangest single on this list. However, it may also be the most thought-provoking. With noises from the simple banging of a piano to the roars of lions, “Wow” transcends the world of music with a jungle of culture and chaos. In one use, this song can be used around a fire with a group of friends. Every person will hear something separate with all of the sound bites thrown into the mix. In turn, this will give listeners different experiences through it all. iThose who master the ability to pull out every separate sound out from the mix will find a deeper meaning in Beck's killer lyrics and bond between word and sound.
5. "Pretty Thoughts" by Alina Baraz, Galimatias
When one looks up at the stars, a sky of black, twinkling lighs come into view. Although when someone applies the single “Pretty Thoughts” to the mix, the night sky turns into the endless colors of a cat’s dream. Being the most relaxed of these songs, “Pretty Thoughts” applies a constant stream of exactly what it attempts to do. With Alina Baraz giving just enough emphasis on her consonants to bounce off of its creation of a sound reminiscent of “mellow static.” With this combination, “Pretty Thoughts” is the perfect late-night single to close one’s eyes to stay awake. Due to its simple choices in instrumentation and wording, this single provides a feeling of kick-starting a sense of creativity to see more in one’s inner thoughts than the darkness on the dissipating night sky.
