Thursday, July 28, 2016

Top 5 Songs On My Desert Island Travel Playlist



I don't talk about this very often on here, but music is a huge, huge part of my life - not only because I'm a classically trained pianist and violinist, but also because our home is never without music. John made sure of this when he installed wireless speakers on each floor of the house so we could synchronize our Spotify accounts on our smartphones to essentially create a "soundtrack" as we move from room to room.

We're such geeks.

We listen to a mixture of lo-fi, alt rock, (old school) hip hop, classical, and electronic music at home ... our tastes range from Blood Orange to Johnny Cash to the Smiths to Local Natives. Occasionally, we'll blast Everclear and dance around to stuff we both listened to in high school, despite growing up a whole ocean apart.

So, when HMV asked me to compile a "desert island playlist" of songs I listen to on my travels, I was all too happy to contribute. Maybe a little too enthusiastically.

Here's my list, which I've made location-specific:



When I'm flying to ... Seattle, Washington

Once, when I was interviewed for a radio station about being an expat in London, they asked me what song reminded me most of home. My response? Neko Case's 'Ghostwiring'. I realized how out of place this sounded when I found out what the other interviewees had replied with: songs by Beyoncé, Drake, and Brad Paisley, apparently. Take these lyrics, for example: "Low ceiling moves in / and circles the bay / Rain rakes the trees / The Sound that's counted so many days / So many days." Nothing captures the essence of the Puget Sound or Pacific Northwest quite as skillfully as this beautiful sequence of words, sung in Neko's distinctive timbre. Her music makes me homesick and nostalgic.


When I'm on a train to ... the English countryside

It always is and always will be Ralph Vaughan-Williams' 'The Lark Ascending'. John and I love this piece so much, it's not unusual to hear us blasting it at full volume throughout the house! Along with his protegé, Gerald Finzi, Vaughan-Williams had the uncanny ability of translating the English landscape into music, just as Aaron Copland did for the American heartland (listen to Appalachian Springs if you don't know what I'm talking about - you'll immediately picture prairies and farms in the American midwest!). The opening measures set the tone (and the scene): I can see a moor with peaks and valleys in my mind's eye. By the time the "lark" enters with its soaring trills and heartwrenching melody, I'm lost in a daydream. I especially love hurtling through the countryside at high speeds listening to this piece.


When I'm relaxing on ... a Sri Lankan beach 

Once, I had a panic attack on a sleeper train travelling from Ho Chi Minh City to Da Nang, Vietnam. The air conditioning had gone off in the middle of the night and cockroaches appeared over every bare surface: including my pillow and bed. I only managed to get a couple hours of sleep in between hyperventilating when John popped an eye shade on me and put Jonsi & Alex's 'Happiness' in my ears and I watched the sunrise to this song. It's the ultimate song for relaxation - something you'd listen to during savansana at the end of a yoga class. If heaven had a theme song, it'd be this one. 



When I'm on a city break in ... Singapore

'Rose Quartz' by Toro y Moi. John and I saw him at Brixton Academy a few years ago and it was such a good show. His songs always remind me of whizzing around a big city and it was the song that came to mind when I was at the top of 1-Altitude, the highest rooftop bar in Singapore.



When I'm driving through ... the vineyards of France

When I say "I'm driving", I totally mean John driving ... I haven't yet driven abroad (UK included, oops!). Every memory I've had of France has involved renting a car and driving around the countryside, whether it's in Normandy, the Dordogne, or more recently, Bordeaux. I'm usually in charge of the music (which John has the power to veto, though we practically share the same Spotify playlist) and I haven't been able to get the aptly named 'Souvenirs' by Etherwood out of my head since we accidentally got lost while it was playing from one of our phones in the rental car - somewhere around Arcachon Bay. It's upbeat and perfect for driving to.

So, that's my desert island travel playlist. What's on yours? I'd love to (literally) hear!

This post was written in collaboration with HMV. All opinions are my own.
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18 comments

  1. I'm definitely going to have to listen to those songs now!

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    1. Please do, and let me know what you think! It's a pretty eclectic mix, haha!

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  2. I love the idea of creating a sound track to your life!

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    1. This was such a fun post to write for that very reason! It brought back so many great memories.

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  3. Omg, the cockroaches story totally freaked me out! Amazing what a song can do!

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    1. IT WAS HORRIBLE. I mean, I know worse things have happened to people, but it was the first time I felt like I couldn't escape from a situation that I was deeply unhappy about ... the song helped take my mind off things and worked as a great distraction!

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  4. omg i LOVE this post! mainly because I feel like I am always building what I call the "soundtrack of my life". When I am in Houston I love blasting top 40 songs and southern hip hop just because it feels so right to cruise down the highway with the beat thumping.. and when I would take the train from New Haven to Boston it would always be Brahms and Ravel... when I work from home I open the windows, light a candle and play Chambao or spanish/flamenco chill music.. totally transports me to all the different phases of my life and trips I've taken...

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    1. I thought of you when I was writing this!!! We are so alike (but you already knew that). xopsop

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  5. Love this! I always have the biggest mind blank when someone asks me my favourite song or to name a playlist but I love the idea of creating a soundtrack to your life. x

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    1. MY MIND GOES BLANK AT THAT QUESTION TOO, Lily! I'm like "Uhhh ... uhmmm ..." I couldn't even remember the names of the bands/groups I listen to yesterday ... I feel like I only know them by songs atm! x

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  6. Music is food for the soul - I'm listening to Ghostwiring now, and it is delicious!

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    1. AHHH I'm so glad you're listening to Neko - one of my favorites!! Her voice is incredible. 'Maybe Sparrow' and 'Star Witness' are two of my favorite songs that also remind me of Seattle in the summer. <3

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  7. This is such a cool post! And I love the sound of your music syncing as you potter around the house - very handy! xx

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  8. I love Jonsi & Alex! So I'll definitely listen to the rest of your recommendations. Love how a song can take you back to a moment or put you in the mood for the place you're in :) x

    Tamsin / A Certain Adventure

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    1. I love that you love them! Huge fan of Sigur Ros too. :) x

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  9. Love love love the idea of a soundtrack! I will make sure to listen to your playlist. Justin and I, or my friends and I always end up having a soundtrack for every trip we make, although typically it is some sort of pop song appearing on a radio all the time. Yann Tiersen is my absolute favorite for relaxation. xoxo, nano | www.travelwithnanob.com

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    1. That is so cute, Nano! And then every time you listen to those songs again, I bet they stir up some fantastic memories. :) Love Yann Tiersen. His music is so, so lovely! xoxo

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