A Solitary Subway Ride: A Playlist for Chill Commuters

News · September 18, 2018

School is stressful. Sometimes you want to just relax and watch the world go by. Here is a playlist for my fellow public transport riders that want to unwind on their way home.

Whether it’s a long bus ride from class or just a couple T stops on the way to work, this playlist will help you escape.

The genres within the list range from Ennio Morricone’s classical Italian film scores to Alvvays’s alternative sweet-girl pop. My goal for the playlist was to incorporate songs that react well with motion. When you are sitting in a moving vehicle and listening to “A Solitary Subway Ride,” you should feel at peace, in an almost romanticized reality.

Alvvays

Jazz plays a major role in this collection, the first song on the lineup is a melancholy yet entrancing tune by Ben Webster and Oscar Peterson. Their entirely instrumental piece, “When Your Lover Has Gone,” soothes and silences the mind. Pair the sax with a stare out of a train window and you’re in another world. Modern jazz-hop, like “Thinkin Of” by Kiefer, also makes an appearance on this playlist. The sharp click of the background track with a piano sound, that is reminiscent of the twenties, transports the listener into a peaceful trance of distraction. Other jazz musicians such as the legendary Count Basie also can be found on this list.

Ben Webster and Oscar Peterson

And of course there is also some happy indie rock to introduce some mellow pleasantries on your commute. Jaunt’s single “Hello” is an easy listen that makes the ride enjoyable and care-free. We all know that public transport can be a dull experience, but gentle echoey guitar strums and a subtle saxophone can most definitely take the edge off. Artists like Cage the Elephant, Vinyl Williams, Danny Dwyer, Puma Blue and Frankie Cosmos can also be found on “A Solitary Subway Ride.”

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