One exam period ends and the next doesn’t hesitate to rear its ugly head. The dreaded April-May season may seem far away, but as students are more than aware, it creeps upon us when we least expect it. Soon, the library’s stagnant silence will be enough to drive anyone (fortunate enough to get a seat) insane.
For years, I believed that listening to music while studying was distracting and ultimately futile. Equally, I found studying without euphonious accompaniment distracting, as one can never be in a situation totally void of distraction. Perhaps this was testament to a short attention span or a lack of fruitful study skills, however, during a moment of genius, I seemed to find a solution to my plight. Recently I have found a handful of albums and artists whose music has become an indispensable tool in aiding my concentration.
It’s time to park up the fifty minutes of brown noise or hour-long Chill Lo-Fi study beats. Listening to whole albums whose songs all incorporate a similar sound is most profitable for entering the golden flow state of an essay or revision session. I consider the following five albums to be key players in my dream rotation.
- The Orb’s 1991 album The Orb’s Adventures Beyond the Ultraworld indeed feels like you are breaking the parameters of the physical realm and entering your immaterial existence. The frictionless transitions from track to track make one forget that they are listening to ten different songs. The ambient tracks have a certain hopefulness to them, particularly felt in the lead off track ‘Little Fluffy Clouds’ and ‘Super Nova At The End Of The Universe’. The fifth track, ‘Perpetual Dawn’, is a groovy, motivating tune that is sufficient to perk anyone up from exam season fatigue. The songs are all long, ranging from four to 18 minutes, but the smooth passages and consistent ambient melodies achieve a condensing effect. Consistent sounds and timing nurture a calm and condensed environment while studying. No sudden crescendos or accelerandos to throw you off or distract you from your work. This album has gotten me through many late-night study sessions.
2. Whitearmor’s 2022 album In The Abyss: Music for Weddings took some time for me to warm to. The first time I listened to this album, it left me slightly confused. I had previously been a fan of his production work on various albums, such as Yung Lean’s Unknown Memory and Bladee’s Red Light. This new production style seemed a far stretch from Whitearmour’s usual trap/hip hop work. The consistent, largely slow sounds render the work ideal for long periods of concentration. Music for Weddings is certainly now a go-to for study music for me. Much like the Orb’s album, the songs melt into each other very smoothly and if you are not paying attention, you may not notice the break from one song to the next. The standout track for me is certainly the second, Could be us, which elicits a buoyant, almost magical sensation. This music feels motivating and inspiring, exactly what is needed for an academic workout. Much like The Orb, the repetitive motifs create a no surprises environment. You will be sure to marry that top grade if you choose to listen to this other-worldly work.
3. Boards of Canada should certainly not be limited to its propensity for concentration, the Scottish duo has an immense discography of beautiful electronic music. Music Has the Right to Children is the group’s debut studio album from 1998. It is widely considered one of the most highly influential ambient-electronic albums of all time. The loud, almost haunting beats and repeating patterns from ‘Roygbiv’ and ‘Wildlife Analysis’ are key to entering the grooves of a productive study period. Music Has the Rights to Children is transformative in every way. One feature I have always adored about Boards of Canada is their choice to include the repetition of random words or phrases into sections of their instrumental music — the twelfth track, ‘Aquarius’, will have the listener deconstructing the rise and fall of the pronunciation of the word orange while banging out the best work of their academic career.
4. Crush by Floating Points is a more recent favourite of mine. It is British musician Sam Shepherd’s second studio album, released in 2019. The low-key synths work beautifully against the harsher beats and percussion to create a delicious compound. This album tickles and penetrates my brain. The sounds on each track fold effortlessly into each other. The album cover echoes its content perfectly. The record’s most popular track, Falaise, combines the use of harsh strings and high-pitched staccato notes, ideal for activating the mind to complete work. The fast moving patterns on these tracks allows you to absorb yourself into your study. My personal favourite song from Crush is the seventh track ‘Bias’, which begins slowly and eerily, gradually entering a crescendo of quick percussion. Crush is an emotional rollercoaster that animates the imagination and paints vivid visuals.
- What would an ambient list be without an Aphex Twin mention? I could probably make another list ranking only the Richard D James’ albums. Selected Ambient Works 85-92 is a lucky 13-track album with zero skips and 13 prolific hits. This was the album that made me fall in love with ambient music. It has probably increased my grade point average by a significant amount. The harsher beats mash beautifully against the soft sounds on the record, creating a delightful abrasion. Unlike the previous albums, these tracks are quite distinct from one another. While it does not have flowing, seamless transitions, the repetitive patterns in each track have a hear-and-recall effect that is always useful for studying. The tracks are cut of the same cloth, yet wonderfully distinctive. Much like the WhiteArmour record, tracks such as ‘Xtal’ and ‘Ageispolis’ have a hopefulness to them, which I find stimulating when completing college work. Sometimes I wish I could take a bite out of this record.
Listen to these grade-enhancing hits here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/05KFZtluOq3x0e0pANCCDq.
