#fivesongs

Here are my five mellow songs of the week that you didn’t know you needed in your life!

1. Seafret - “Oceans” Seafret is my newest obsession. Combine the almost lullabic (I know that’s not a word, but it sounds like it should be, right?) sounds from guitarist Harry Draper and the soulfully sweet vocals from Jack Sedman, and Seafret’s music instantly sinks me into a state of total calm, like...drinking chamomile tea in a hot bath while taking a long drag off a cigarette. (I don’t recommend smoking in the bath, for the record.) The point is, this band is soft and melodic and guaranteed to deliver you from the stress and madness of your own mind. At least for a little while. This song was my first introduction to Seafret, and it sort of epitomizes their sound.

2. Aquilo - “Calling Me” Another new love, though I haven’t had the chance to listen to their album full through yet. There are some really amazing sounds here, though. Not all slow and calm, but not the heavy thumping house music that seems to have taken over the Top 40 radio stations lately. There is this understated sort of bigness to Aquilo’s music, though - like the soundtrack you hear in a movie when the main character is standing at a literal AND figurative precipice. This song makes you feel like you can fly.

3. Jaymes Young - “I’ll Be Good” This one, I can’t really go into the artist’s sound, because this is truly the only song of his I’ve listened to, but I am head-over-heels in love with it. It’s all about looking back on the mistakes you’ve made, and moving forward with the intention of doing more - better - with your life. Pair the deep lyrics with the slow, almost dark instrumentals, and you’ve got a great song for a drive in the rain. (My best friend’s contribution to this: “Why does he spell his name like that? Oh, yeah, good song. But why does he spell his name like that?” I still love her, though.)

4. Haevn - “Bright Lights” Haevn only has three singles on iTunes that you can download right now, but they are all truly amazing - it took me a while to choose which one I wanted to include in this list, but eventually I opted for “Bright Lights.” The best way I can describe the sound is the end of a rainstorm, when the water is still dripping into puddles from the overflowing gutters. It’s got that soft drip-drop throughout the song, with a few symphonic swells, with beautiful lyrics sung in a beautiful voice. I can’t wait for their first album.