Designed by: Poh Enxi (20-E3)
With the June Common Tests upon us all, our return to school and the great outdoors may seem dismal and tinged with stress. In light of this and our extraordinary circumstances, the Sick Beats team will be bringing you a specially curated playlist of songs and instrumentals alike to calm, chill, vibe and (most importantly) study to! If ever you grow weary of listening to endless streams of study lo-fi, this is the playlist for you.
I’d Rather Be Me (With You) – ft. Zach Callison
Genre: Soundtrack
A dose of em Feels
A sweet and pure song about the bliss of being with your loved one. What more could you want? The soft strumming of a guitar paired with the soothing voice of the artist forms this gorgeous melody that can be looped over and over without getting tired of it. Feel free to alleviate the pain of your mundane mugging with these soft tunes! 8/10
Love Like You – ft. Rebecca Sugar
Genre: Jazz
Chill
Don’t get me wrong, the original soundtrack has amazing vocals but I figured that songs with lesser vocals could help you focus better. This does not mean that the instrumental version is inferior in any way however. Its melody paints such a serene scenery in your mind and, with its subtle jazz vibe, helps you settle into its relaxing and melancholic tune. Perfect for turning down your stress levels while preparing for the upcoming exams. 8/10
Virus – ft. Lena Katina
Genre: Synthpop
Chill
Lyrics about a passionate love combined with slick beats created this club-style song. The soothing voice of Russian singer Lena Katina (previously a member of T.a.t.u) is bound to calm you down while you stress over GP essays. So let the soft beats wash over you! 8/10
Blizhe (“Closer” in Russian) – ft. Lena Katina
Genre: Soundtrack from an Acoustic EP
A does of em feels
While the original soundtrack has really hype beats, I thought that the acoustic version would be easier to study with. The soft strumming of the guitar engenders a constant that calms one down when he/she is stressed. At the same time, Lena’s emotional singing in Russian and gentle inhales create a relaxing ensemble that makes it easy for listeners to concentrate while completing their homework. 9/10
Genre: Video Game soundtracks
Mood booster
Scientifically proven to help with focus, video game soundtracks are what I turn to for a chill study session. This piece is for those who enjoy the adrenaline rush from playing video games and who want to feel something similar while studying. This score from the action video game Assassin’s Creed Odyssey will make studying feel heroic and inspiring, like seeking knowledge in Plato’s Academy of Athens. 8/10
Merry-Go-Round – Joe Hisaishi
Genre: Film score
A dose of em feels
Studio Ghibli films are known to have soundtracks that sound nostalgic, transporting you to the bright, sunny landscapes of their films. The soft piano in this piece is not too distracting or overpowering, but makes you feel a sweet sense of nostalgia. If you too want to escape your anxieties and stress, or to imitate Youtube’s lofi hip hop radio girl, this is the song that you should turn to! 9/10
Dream Launch – WayV
Genre: Asian Pop
Chill, mood booster
Before you roll your eyes at another Chinese song, this is different – the world of C-Pop extends far beyond slow, old-timey ballads. Dream Launch uplifts and refreshes study-weary minds with its relaxed tempo and simple instrumentation, with a lovely vocal melody that’s catchy without being too intrusive. The thoughtful, outer space-themed lyrics describe persevering despite failure – perfect for study sessions. 8.5/10
You Say I’m in Love – Banes World
Genre: Indie, Chill
A dose of em feels, Chill
With a retro 60s vibe, the song has a calm and soothing chorus accompanied by a lo-fi beat, making it a piece of perfect background music for late-night studying sessions. Being a relatively short song, it is a song that you would surely play on repeat over and over again while mugging for the upcoming examinations! 8/10
O lume intreaga (“A Whole World” in Romanian) – ft. Ioana Ignat
Genre: Pop
A dose of em feels
A song about the heartache experienced after an intense love. Ioana Ignat’s unique vocals bring out the sadness in the lyrics, making this song an art piece that is to be listened to over and over again. Not only that, the regular beats and slow tempo helps one to concentrate while doing their work. 10/10
The Origin* 