By: Isaac Dymock
Only four weeks left in the school year. For most of us, things are getting pretty tight with midterms, finals and projects. In this time of intense studies, we all need something to listen to while concentrating. Instrumentals are perfect as they don’t have lyrics that could potentially distract or confuse us during heavy study sessions. These albums reflect different moods that could be conducive to good studying: classical, orchestral, jazz, blues, and psychedelic.
Gustav Holst
The Planets
Holst takes us from the slow, steady march of war on Mars to the slow plodding rhythms of a savant on Neptune. The Planets can fill most any mood that goes with studying. From the frantic to the strategic, this classic of classical albums is a go-to during long evenings and nights.
Two Steps From Hell
Skyworld
With a combination of orchestral and rock tones, Two Steps From Hell brings a similar combination of tones to Holst’s Planets but in more modern fashion. Born from a genre–based around soundtracks for movie trailers, ‘Skyworld’ is based in both fast moving and slow-burning determination.
Bohren & der Club of Gore
Black Earth
Bohren brings ambient, slow, brooding dark jazz to the table for those long hours spent elbow
deep in notes and textbooks. Not the usual flair of jazz that one can expect with rumbling low bass tones interspersed with piano in the low octaves played while permanently peddled.
Louis Armstrong
50 Essentials of Louis Armstrong
More Jazz than Blues at times, Louis Armstrong is good for bringing up the mood after a long study session.
Electric Octopus
Driving Under the Influence of Jams
If the down low of Bohren & der Club of Gore is not to your liking, then the psychedelic jams of Electric Octopus could be a better match for background music.
