Cold temperatures, gray skies and the occasional light snowfall — that’s right, winter is already almost upon us. Zip up your coat, put on your beanies and get ready to enjoy the season with this absolutely frigid collection of tunes.
King Tubby — “Winter Dub”
The title says it all. Released in 1981, Jamaican dub legend King Tubby manages to capture the feeling of winter all the way from sunny Kingston, Jamaica. With a characteristic ear-tickling mix of warm baselines and ice-cold audio effects familiar to any seasoned dub fan, Tubby brings the master’s touch yet again. Perfect for riding the bus on a cool crispy morning.
Björk — “Alarm Call”
What else can be said about Björk, the so-called Queen of experimental pop. A hit upon release, “Alarm Call” is an anthem of hope, sung in Björk’s one-of-a-kind voice over lush, wintry instrumentals. For those too intimidated to dive in Björk’s discography, this season-appropriate track is a great place to start. It feels like walking through a snowstorm in the best way possible.
Techno Animal — “Anthrazite”
Techno Animal, formed in 1990 by Justin Broadrick and Kevin Martin is one of electronic music’s best-kept secrets, even by fans of Broadrick and Martin’s other work. Departing from the rock and metal sound of their other projects, Techno Animal were progenitors of illbient, a mostly instrumental style of electronic music heavily inspired by hip-hop and dub. “Anthracite” is an eight-minute tour-de-force, showcasing everything that made the group great. Bring blizzard-esque vibes to your next study vibes with this classic.
Wire — “A Touching Display”
Maybe the most abstract song on this playlist, “A Touching Display” is certainly not lacking in emotion. Wire, who started their career in the London punk scene, had fully completed the transition to art rock by the release of their third album, 1979’s “154” in which we find this track. Swirling synths recall a winter breeze, as reverb-drenched guitars build to a beautifully apocalyptic crescendo making this an essential addition to our playlist.
Gang Starr — “ALONGWAYTOGO”
Comprising of Boston rapper Guru and Houston’s DJ Premier, Gang Starr made a name for themselves in the 90’s New York hip-hop scene. This track, coming from their highly-acclaimed 1994 album “Hard to Earn,” is as frigid as it gets. Boasting one of the all-time great intros in hip-hop, the song is among the duo’s best work. Premier’s eerie, minimal instrumentals gives plenty of room for Guru to steal the show, whose signature flow is as hypnotizing as ever. Bring a pencil and paper, because you don’t want to miss what Guru has to teach you.
Blitz — “For You”
Hailing from Manchester suburb New Mills, Blitz was one of the best of the original post-punk bands. 1983’s “Second Empire Justice,” the group’s second album, marks their foray into goth and New Wave, with heavy use of atmospheric synths and razor-sharp guitar lines. “For You” is an excellent piece of moody synthpop, almost recalling the gray skies and dreary coal mines of the band’s Derbyshire home. A perfect listen on inversion-heavy December days, enjoy the wintry beauty of this little track.
Animal Collective — “#1”
Animal Collective fans may be confused at the selection of this song over, say, “Winter’s Love” but this track and another from the album “Strawberry Jam” speak for themselves. While “Winter’s Love” conjures images of hot chocolate and snuggling up by the fire, “#1” captures the feeling of actually walking through the snow on a peaceful, cold winter’s night. “Winter Wonderland” from the same album has a completely different sound altogether. There’s almost too much to say about this song. A beautiful main synth loop, vocal harmonies, hand-drummed beats and cosmic theremin riffs come together in perfect unison. As atmospheric as it is low-key, this masterpiece of a track is the perfect end to our playlist.
