Summer is the time to travel, whether it be on flights to exotic locales or a roadtrip with an unkown destination. I recently returned from a term abroad in Italy and spent the vast majority of my weekends on trains watching the Italian countryside roll by. I'll make a confession-- I'm definitely a nervous traveler, so I created a playlist of my top ten traveling tracks, perfect for listening to while reading a book or drifting off on your way to a new destination.
1. LCD Soundsystem- New York, I Love You But You’re Bringing Me Down
This is one of those tracks that starts off so simply and builds to a really fantastic end. James Murphey’s quirky lyrics layer perfectly with the bluesy piano and bass line, creating a soothing yet captivating mix. The song really starts to rock hard about three quarters of the way through before quieting back down to a soft ending. The thing I love most about this track is how LCD Soundsystem plays with silence—it’s the perfect song to signal the start of your trip.
2. Milo Greene- 1957
This is definitely a folksier track that will have you toe tapping in your seat. The vocal harmonies are placid and gentle and the song slowly gains momentum throughout, yet never exceeding the definition of a soft rock track. In a more literally sense, Green croons “Takes me away” throughout the track making this an ideal traveling tune.
3. The War on Drugs- Under the Pressure
This is definitely the perfect track to drift off to—it’s a more atmospheric song with dreamy vocals and lots of layered synth chords. It has a fairly driving drumbeat throughout to prevent it from becoming monotonous. Though it is a 9 minute track, it’s well worth the temporal investment.
4. The Districts- Bold
The Districts are one of my favorite underrated bands of all time. Rob Grote’s vocals are passionate and powerful when paired with Bold’s strong beat and hazy chord progressions. The track builds in intensity to a seriously awesome crescendo. I definitely can’t resist dancing in my seat to this one.
5. Only Real- Can’t Get Happy
Don’t read too far into the fact that this is currently one of my most-played songs. The cheerful yet mellow sound is in total juxtaposition with the lyrics in an utterly delightful way. The guitar lick is infectious and the spoken word-esque quality of the verses is refreshing.
6. Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin- Young Presidents
In addition to having a ridiculously wonderful band name, SSLYBY also creates relaxed and breezy tracks with fun lyrics. Young Presidents is a fun, upbeat track that will break the mid-ride monotony easily.
7. Finish Ticket- Tranquilize
I grew up seeing Finish Ticket play in local venues and I still cannot get over their powerful yet playful melodies (and the fact that the vocalist and the bassist are twins). This track is perfect to lull you back into a relaxed state. I also still think Brendan Hoye sings “Tiger Eyes” instead of “Tired Eyes”. Fight me.
8. Broken Bells- The High Road
This track is a wonderfully hazy venture into where psychedelic rock and vintage beats collide. This is definitely the perfect track to really just let your mind wander. It’s a gentle atmospheric song with a kick.
9. Silversun Pickups- Lazy Eye
I have a confession to make: until I saw Silversun Pickups play live, I totally thought their lead singer was a girl. The androgynous vocal quality, however, works well with this guitar driven track. It has some addictive licks and builds to a pretty powerful point—it hypes you up in a mellow way.
10. Beach House- Lazuli
The perfect track to end on, Lazuli has all of the essentials—cloudy vocals, a compelling synth lick, and a driving drum beat. This track is the personification of feel-good atmospheric indie. It’s mellow enough to keep the lazy travel vibes going, but you’ll definitely be pumped enough to tackle your destination and beyond after the slow fade back into reality.
Listen to the full playlist on spotify here
Safe travels!
