10 ALBUMS TO FEED YOUR SOUL
In 2013, a
group of pediatricians conducted a study, with an aim to prove that music has
the power to reduce stress and anxiety levels in humans. They took a group of
children, aged between 3 years to 11 years, and divided them into two rooms.
All these children were receiving pediatric treatments, and during the course
of the treatment, one of the rooms played music and the other didn’t. The
result? Children who received treatment in the music room felt less pain
compared to the children from the other room.
Music does
sooth the soul, but once in a while musicians produce music that feeds the
soul. Just like our bodies, our soul needs to be fed, with love, with care,
with compassion, with passion, with art, with films, but music just happens to
be the best food one can offer to their soul. Here are 10 albums that feeds our
soul, and we hope it feeds yours too.
BLOND
FRANK OCEAN
Ocean
released his second studio album just the day after he released his video album
Endless. Since the release of his critically acclaimed debut album Channel
Orange, Ocean had kept low profile, so much so that at one point of time no one
knew where he was. Ocean later confirmed that he was going through a writer’s
block, but started working on the album after a brief period of time. This
album sees Ocean reuniting with former collaborators Pharrell Williams, James
Blake, Francis Starlite, with guest vocals from Andre 3000, Beyonce, Kim
Burrell, the album features an experimental sound, ambient noise samples, an
abstract soundscape and minimalistic style, which makes the album Ocean has
never done before, and perhaps not many have listened before. The lead single
of the album ‘’Nikes’’, reached No.1 at multiple nations. Ocean also released a
300 page zine along with the album, titled ‘’ Boys Don’t Cry ‘’.
WILDER MIND
MUMFORD & SONS
Arguably the
most underrated Mumford & Sons album, and also the darkest. The album
released in 2015, didn’t receive the usual reception the band is used to, with
many fans stating that they couldn’t connect to the sound. With lyrics like ‘’
no flame burns forever ‘’ and ‘’ and so I cry, as I hold you for the last time
in this life ‘’, it is the darkest and perhaps the best lyrics the band has
ever written. Dealing with subjects like depression and loss, the album topped
the charts at seven nations and reached the top 5 at nine.
THE SPACE BETWEEN
MAJID JORDAN
Canadian
boys Majid Al Maskati and Jordan Ullman, released their second studio album on
October, 2017, to widespread critical reception. They were featured in the 2013
Drake song, ‘’ Hold On, We are Going Home ‘’, which gave them notable recognition,
but this album put them under the limelight. Released by Warner Bros. Records
and Drake’s very own OVO Sound, the album was co-produced by Majid and Jordan. The
album features crisp beats, paired with sensual lyrics, rhythmic vocals, and
with all this the true R&B soul is kept intact.
IN A PERFECT WORLD
KODALINE
Let us be
honest, this Irish band is criminally underrated. Kodaline had proved their
worth with their debut album, with songs like ‘’ All I Want ‘’ and ‘’ High
Hopes ‘’, reaching cult status. The fans and critics never seem to be on the
same page, same was the case with this album, critics ruthlessly criticized the
album but the fans thought otherwise, with sold out shows, the fans sang along
to every song, showering the love this band truly deserves.
22 A MILLION
BON IVER
The American
indie folk legends decided to completely change their sound with their third
studio album. Shifting from an indie folk sound to an electronic sound, the
album opened to widespread acclaim both from critics and fans. The album has
electronic soundscape, hip-hop beats, use of samples, synths, and surprisingly
an amazing play of vocal modulation. The production was handled by front man
Justin Vernon, who has worked with the likes of Kanye West, as a producer,
which explains the inspiration behind the hip-hop inspired beats. Every track of
the album is represented through a numeric digit. The album was listed as one
of the best album of the year, by multiple publications and won close to ten
awards.
CLEOPATRA
THE LUMINEERS
These
American indie folk rockers stayed true to their genre, and released their
second studio album in 2016, to critical acclaim and commercial success. The album
features songs like ‘’Ophelia‘’, ‘’Cleopatra‘’, ‘’ Angela’’, ‘’Sleep on the
floor’’, ‘’My Eyes’’, which together forms ‘’ The Ballad of Cleopatra’’. All
these songs together tell a continuous story of a man and a woman, who are in
love. A 24-minute video was released by the band, to visually depict the story.
With lyrics like ‘’Jesus Christ can’t save me tonight, put on your dress, yes,
wear something nice’’ the band portrays the true soul of an indie folk rocker.
GHOST STORIES
COLDPLAY
This band
has achieved everything, a musical act dreams of, yet with all the success in
the world the band decided to change their style of music for their 2014 album.
With an electronic and synth pop approach, the album tackles issues such as
bitter memories, and relationships. The band’s front man Chris Martin has said
the album is about how one learns from their past, their ghost, and how they
allow that ghost to affect them and their future. The album is co-produced by
Rik Simpson, Brian Eno, and features guest producers Avicii, Jon Hopkins,
Medeon, Timberland, which goes onto explain the lush soundscape and electronic
and synth vibes of the album. Ghost Stories is Coldplay’s most personal album,
and after listening to the album you will know why.
EVERY KINGDOM
BEN HOWARD
This British
indie folk star knows how to make an impact. With his debut album, Howard
showed the world the quality of talent he possess. The album is deeply
emotional and uses the acoustic guitar to magical effect. Lyrics such as ‘’and meet me there, bundles
of flowers, we wait through the hours of cold’’, the album has a sense of
belonging and loss, at the same time.
I LIKE IT WHEN YOU SLEEP FOR YOU ARE
SO BEAUTIFUL YET SO UNAWARE OF IT
THE 1975
This second
studio album by the British rockers stands apart from everything you have
listened so far. The album has a soothing electronic vibe to it, with synths
and samples used to great effect. Described as synth pop, the album has its
darker side too, with lyrics like ‘’are we awake? , am I too old to be this
stoned?’’, at times the album is darker than you expect it to be. Nominated in
the Grammies for best packaging, the title of each of the seventeen songs in
the album is represented through a pink neon sign, photographed against various
locations around the world.
KID A
RADIOHEAD
English rock
legends Radiohead released their fourth studio album in October 2000, filled
with extensive use of synths, drum machines, ambient sound, and electronic
soundscape. The band broke away from their typical guitar rock sound, which
they wanted to do for a long time. As they adopted a completely new sound, some
of the tracks didn’t even have guitars or drums, but were replaced by modular
synths, drum machines and ondes Martenot. The band extensively used the
computer to manipulate the sound. The band didn’t release any singles from the
album, and neither promote it. The band
broke ground by releasing their album in streaming services, and file sharing
platforms, so much so that the album was leaked before release.
HONARABLE MENTION
MTV UNPLUGGED (LIVE AT ROUNDHOUSE,
LONDON)
BIFFY CLYRO
These Scottish
rockers never fail to impress us. This is a live album, with an acoustic
approach to every song performed. The band performs some of their best songs
released over the years, a total of fifteen to be precise. Accompanied by clever
stage design, depicting a forest, the band beautifully transforms their heavy
electric guitar infused songs into soothing acoustic numbers. The cello, the
drums, the piano are used to great effect, with a special mention for the
backing vocals, which is performed by the live audience, to such great effect that
it will surely give you goosebumps. Biffy Clyro creates such a melancholy, that
it is extremely hard to come out of. The band breaks a trend with this album,
unlike all of their shows, where they are shirtless, here, they are wearing
shirts.
Music is
powerful, it has always been, it can lift us up and break us apart, give us
hope and bring back forgotten memories, it can feed us, and we will still have
that hunger for more inside us, that is what good music does to us. We hope
these albums satisfies your hunger for good music, and eventually increases it.
Cheers!
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