PLAYLIST: Music for a Rainy Day
By Maddie Rice
It’s summertime. While everyone hopes for warm, sunny weather so that they can spend their leisurely days at the swimming pool, summer thunderstorms are inevitable. Envision a place of warm raindrops falling from purple clouds, a thick humidity in the air, the dull roar of thunder, and sporadic lightning flashing across the sky while listening to this playlist. Enjoy these tracks on those days where you spend your time relaxing inside, the soft sound of rain drizzling against the roof in the background.
1. Everything We Saw That Day and How You Made Me Feel - Flatsound
The folk sound, conveyed by acoustic guitar mixed with the soft vocals, gives the listener a sense of solemnity and peace. This track establishes the melancholy, yet calming mood of the playlist. Flatsound is known for making songs like this throughout his discography.
2. Sleep Apnea - Beach Fossils
Track 2 is a personal favorite by alternative artist, Beach Fossils, full of reverb-heavy vocals and dreamy-sounding guitar and bass. Like the first track, this song maintains a quiet, calming tone.
3. Cool and Blue - Dogbreth
Indie rock band, Dogbreth, hails from Seattle, WA, a city known for its continuous rainstorms. This track’s lyrics, describing waking up on a cool and blue morning, exhibit a similar tone to that of a rainy day. This song includes grungier guitar effects and a heavy solo at the end, adding some edginess to the holistic playlist.
4. Dear Friend, - Dayglow
This track is driven by Sloan Struble’s soft piano-playing and vocal serenade. It’s lyrics describe his longing for an old friend in the style of a letter. The tone of the song is melancholy, similar to that of the first track.
5. Goodbye Too Soon - The Irons
The message of this song is comparable to the previous track’s, as the lyrics describe the feeling of missing someone with phrases like, “Feeling down is tough when you’re not around.” The chords used in the song, mixed with the vocals, create a yearning effect.
6. Sprawling - The Obsessives
In my opinion, every emo playlist needs a song by my favorite band, The Obsessives. This Philadelphia band is known for their punky, alternative sound, and this song brings some edgier drums and guitar to the playlist. It is consistent in creating a mood of longing, and it transitions smoothly into the next track.
7. I Think You Were in My Profile Picture Once - Modern Baseball
The relaxing sound of acoustic finger-picking, with the addition of Brendan Lukens and Adrianne Gold’s duet, makes me think of laying in bed, snuggled in some blankets; it creates a sense of comfort. This track carries the melancholy tone of the playlist as Lukens sings about saying goodbye to someone that he cares about deeply.
8. Feels Like We Only Go Backwards - Tame Impala
Track 8 has more of a feel-good beat, giving off psychedelic energy and a dreamy feeling. The many layers of instruments and vocals create a peaceful tone.
9. Crying on the Subway - Hana Vu
As the title of the track suggests, this is a sad song. Hana Vu’s emotional, reverb-y vocals create a similar atmosphere to the previous song on the playlist. Her fuzzy guitar licks make the song perfect for casual listening when hanging out on a rainy day.
10. Show Me How - Men I Trust
The last track on the playlist—by French-Canadian indie-pop band, Show Me How—consists of a prominent, groovy bassline and Emma Proulx’s soft, calm vocals. This song brings the playlist to a gradual close, leaving the listener with feelings of peace.
If you’re looking for more music recommendations, you can check out other playlists the HEM staff have compiled below.