With November halfway over and fall break rounding the corner, the semester is but a few weeks from being over. Around this time, I like to reevaluate my studying approach as I begin finessing my final papers and assignments. This includes building playlists of my favorite songs and artists that I’ve found relaxing and inspiring for studying. The majority of music I listen to, no matter the genre, is mostly composed of instrumentals with little to no vocals. So this makes for soothing and distraction-free studying!
The artists I’ve chosen for this list spans across the genres of hip-hop, R&B, and downtempo:
1. My first go-to for studying music is the Australian DJ/producer Bonobo. His style of music is very percussive, with heavy features on hand percussion instruments to help drive the grooves of his tracks. A couple of my favorite albums by him are "Black Sands," produced in 2010, and "The North Borders," produced in 2013. Both albums feature thoughtful, ambient, driving beats, and basslines that help me stay focused and on track with my assignments.
2. My second choice for studying music is the late great Japanese DJ/producer Nujabes. Killed in a traffic accident at the age of 36, his music still fills fans from around the world with dreamy inspiration. His 2005 record "Modal Soul" is one of my favorites. The songs feature lots of nostalgic piano riffs and jazzy influences which, I admit, makes me long for something I can’t quite pinpoint. The songs on the album, such as "Reflection Eternal," "Sea Of Cloud," and the title track "Modal Soul," all have this otherworldly influence on my writing and how well I’m able to word my thoughts.
3. If you’re in the mood for something slower with more of a downtempo/R&B feel, the French-German DJ Evil Needle is one of my favorite studying music options in this category. For reading and tasks that require an intense focus and less physical interaction with the material, Evil Needle’s 2011 EP "Mood" hits all the right notes. His chilled out beats, jazzy undertones, and oscillating tones help keep you focused and engaged!
4. One of my favorite DJs is the Torrance, CA, native TOKiMONSTA. For context, she’s signed under Flying Lotus’s label Brainfeeder, and has the beats to match. Heavy in contemporary hip-hop beats, she’s one of the leading female DJs in LA. Her first album put out in 2010, entitled "Midnight Men," has primarily hip-hop instrumentals and percussive samples to keep the groove of the track steady, as well as your attention to your assignments.
5. If you’re unable to choose to just one artist or album, anything and anyone under the Soulection label is a goldmine of studying music. I have to admit, whenever I am unable to choose a single type of music, I automatically go to Soulection's radio page. For those of you who are not familiar with Soulection, it is a record label that originated from CSULB's own KBEACH radio, with Joe Kay as the host and co-founder. Music featured on their radio programs include hip-hop, neo-soul, R&B, downtempo, and EDM.
I hope these artists will help you focus on your studies just like they do for me.
