6 Albums to Listen to in Quarantine According to Your Mood

Whether you’re angry, anxious or sad, there is an album for you

Quarantine has been going strong for more than 10 weeks in a lot of places, and people are getting exhausted. Although it has felt like an eternity to some, states across the country have begun dissolving their stay-in-place orders, to the relief of many. Just because government officials are saying it’s okay to go back to normal does not mean the virus has magically disappeared, though, so it is imperative to resist the urge to throw a party or go to a crowded bar. Instead, the safest bet is to continue to socially distance. To get you through this emotionally charged time, here are 5 albums to help you work through your feelings to listen to instead of going to the bars.

The latest studio album from Chaz Bear’s chillwave funk group, Outer Peace is a personal challenge to not only find inner peace, but outer peace. Therefore, it is no surprise that Chaz’s monotone, soothing voice provides a sense of calm in a wave of anxiety.

Funky songs like “Ordinary Pleasure” or “Freelance” dominate the tone of the album. Their bongo-ridden beats create a bounce that makes you lose all your worries and just dance. When you’re cooped up inside and forced to face your anxieties head on, tracks like these allow for a moment of childlike escape.

Some of the more subtle tracks on the album, like “New House”, on the other hand, curate self reflection. Downtempo beats and repetitive lyrics serve to take the mind off the music altogether, Chaz’s soothing vocals allowing for deep self-evaluation in a way that feels safe and comfortable. In fact, the track “Monte Carlo” is a literal reflection on the anxieties of day-to-day life, the dreamy lofi beat reducing them to a careless whisper.

For an extra sense of calm, check out Toro y Moi’s Tiny Desk Concert. Their delivery radiates positivity and is prime for a relaxation session.

Pronounced “Chaos Theory”, Chaxsthexry is UK Rapper Scarlxrd’s brutal breakthrough album. There is not much to talk about, as every track follows a similar formula of screaming over heavily distorted bass, but the album is perfect for yelling and relieving your stress. If loud, turbulent music is your coping mechanism for anger, this album is a need. “Heart Attack” is particularly intense if you need a song to punch a pillow to.

If you’re the type that needs music to calm you down when you’re angry, Whitney’s Forever Turned Around might be a better route for you. The follow up to their critically acclaimed debut album, Forever Turned Around is set on delivering peace during a politically chaotic time.

The band consistently layers melancholy horns on top of lethargic to cast a feeling of pure nostalgia, sure to bring you down from your angry high and return you to a level-headed state of mind. As with all these albums, but this one in particular, a full listen-through with no skips is needed for the greatest effect. By the end, you might even forget why you were mad in the first place.

Written, produced, and released during quarantine how i’m feeling now is Charli XCX’s vulnerable revelation of the exacerbation of her mental health issues during isolation. Songs like “claws” feature chaotic production under romantic vocals about love, demonstrating the struggle in her mind to be in a relationship under the crushing weight of quarantine.

Other tracks, like “detonate” and “i finally understand”, have more subtle instrumentals to highlight Charli’s vocal themes, expressing self-loathing and feeling like she is going to explode. Throughout the project, she is unabashed in lettering her audience know that isolation has left her thoroughly depressed. Hopefully, the album will let you know that you are not alone in the emotions you are facing, allowing for some degree of catharsis.

If you like instrumental albums, Dan Leavy’s score for the critically claimed French film I Lost My Body is a must. For one, the album can stand completely alone from the film and still be enjoyable; Leavy’s mix of electronic synthesizers and orchestral elements makes for a unique listening experience.

Although each track ranges in emotion, the same theme can be found throughout, grounding each song in the same headspace. The general lack of vocals allows you to turn inward, letting the instrumental guide you through your thoughts. With so much going on in the world, Coronavirus aside, thinking critically about social and political issues is important, but can be overwhelming. Leavy’s instrumentals combat the chaos with their meditative melodies, ultimately taking you through a journey in your mind. Two hip hop songs, “Camtar” and “Sale Soiree”, also return the listener to reality for a bit so to lessen the weight of deep contemplation.

For an even more profound experience, watch the film. It is animated, but by no means for children. Instead, it is a piece of visual poetry, each frame as meditative as the soundtrack, itself. It does not beg for the viewer to be wrapped up in the story, allowing for a decent hour and a half to think about life.

It can be all too easy to lose hope during a global pandemic. Thankfully, Kweku Collins’ Nat Love is overwhelmingly hopeful, sure to fill your void of despair.

Kweku Collins is a local Chicago rapper who was gaining traction from 2015–2017, but unfortunately fell off the map, which is a shame because his sound has remained fresh and unique in the face of endless styles of rap and hip hop. Nat Love loosely follow the journey of a high schooler in love, and, although the middle portion gets dark, ultimately ends with the notion that pain leads to growth.

A pioneer in melodic rap, Collins strays away from heavy production and instead relies largely on acoustic instrumentation and percussion to create a genuine aura. If there is one track that will pull you out of the depths of despair, it is “Stupid Roses”, which capitalizes on an innocent, juvenile instrumental that invokes a high school nostalgia. The theme of roses alludes to being hurt by something beautiful, but when Collins acknowledges his growth on the final track, “The Rain That Wouldn’t Save Us”, the pain is lessened and the listener is reminded of the silver lining in every situation.

Although music can be extremely therapeutic, it is important to remember that it is not therapy. If you are incapacitated by your emotions, find professional help. If you are contemplating suicide, talk to someone or call the suicide hotline at 1–800–273–8255. Stay safe, stay healthy, and stay inside when you can. This pandemic is not over, but you are not facing it alone.

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