taimatsu | (no subject)

(no subject)

As the next step in sorting my getting-to-sleep problem without driving my housemates crazy by nagging them to turn their media off, I would like to find music to listen to as I try to drop off. Anything quiet and soothing is fine. Suggestions and links to music files welcome. I'm starting off with some Enya and classical and maybe a bit of 'chill'-type electronica. We'll see.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Four Tet. Fridge. Boards of Canada.

I'm rather fond of Richard Thompson, though it can be depressing in parts. This page (http://wxpn.blogspot.com/2006/08/my-morning-download-8806-richard.html) has a link to his version of the Mingulay Boat Song. Don't bother with the rest of the album, for heavens' sakes.

There is one particular Depeche Mode song which I have trained myself to fall asleep to - it's very soothing. "When the Body Speaks" from the album Exciter. Some of the rest of Exciter is also chill and calming, but none quite so up to the task as that particular song.

Hope that helps!

I used to listen to the album Magical Ring by Clannad when I had difficulty sleeping; it worked quite well. Not a million miles away from Enya, of course, as she is related to them and used to belong to them, although not by that point, I think.

These days, I'd try Thomas Tallis, Hildegard von Bingen and William Byrd, but I have no idea how effective they'd really be. Tallis and Byrd are probably sufficiently complex to fend off boredom, though.

Goldfrapp - Seventh Tree

Have you also considered some noise canceling headphones?

These are the 'proper' headphones I have. I'm not sure I can sleep in them though as I generally sleep on my side. I'm working on it.

SonVer. Godspeed! You Black Emperor (and indeed pretty much anything from the same label - Fly Pan Am, Silver Mount Zion etc.). Some Faithless tracks could work.

greyeyedeve finds her meditation CDs very easy to fall asleep to ;)

Mogwai - Mogwai Fear Satan (on the album Young Team). It's 20 minutes long. (It has LOUD as well as quite bits so I'm told that this is just me, but I find the LOUD bits say "yes, you are currently awake, hello" and pick you up and hold you and then very slowly and gradually and gently lay you down. Or maybe this is just me.)

Did I understand that getting earplugs from boots is already part of the plan? You need to roll them very narrow first, then stick them in as far as they go and hold them there till they expand and wedge in. Then they block out everything!

i always fall asleep to relaxation CDs - but that's not the point of them!!
(i also fall asleep every week at yoga when we are supposed to be relaxing. oops.)

Stones in the Road is often a good choice, I find. Particularly "The End Of My Pirate Days".

I have an album by a band called "Waking The Witch" (more correctly should be known as "Sending The Witch To Sleep") which checks the faintly-pleasant-sounding-fairly-one-paced-decorative-and-tasteful-female-vocalists-with-absolutely-no-surprises-whatsoever box.

Failing that, something low-key and instrumental. Fifth region of MGV?

I listen to Sarah McLachlan. Or to audiobooks I've heard before - mostly Harry Potter and Sherlock Holmes. I also have a track of rain noises. Sometimes I find that very soothing and sometimes it makes me want to pee lol.

I used to listen to Aphex Twin's 'Selected Ambient Works' a lot in my 2nd year university room. Nowadays, though, I tend to put on Hitch Hiker's Guide, or Dirk Gently, either read by the author, or the radio play. Something familiar that I know backwards, basically.

And, those earplugs should be on their way now - I got a bit busy and failed to post them when I said I would, sorry!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only