For this playlist, I have put together a selection of tracks that I have been repeatedly listening to during lockdown. Music has always been something that has helped me through difficult times in life, but over this period of uncertainty and concern surrounding the Coronavirus pandemic, it has remained one of the few hopeful consistencies. These tracks represent the range of emotions I have felt during the lockdown period, from joy after spending an evening partying with my friends over Zoom, to overwhelming sadness regarding the situation.
The first ten tracks are some of my favourite releases from 2020 so far. The majority of these come from Scottish artists, such as the fantastic L-Space and the fabulous Glasgow-based composer and producer Wuh Oh, who I discovered a few years back at TRNSMT festival. Kohla, Fauves and Mt. Doubt are my favourite artists on the Scottish music scene at the moment, so I have included some great tracks by them.
Princess Nokia’s album Everything Is Beautiful has been my most listened to album of 2020, so I made sure to include Sugar Honey Iced Tea (S.H.I.T). I have also found that Georgia’s About Work The Dancefloor and Charli XCX’s pink diamond have included some much-needed vibrancy to my days spent in lockdown.
The second half of the playlist features some older songs that I have found myself revisiting during this time. These include my favourite tracks by the likes of Dylan, Springsteen, The Cure and The Clash – songs which I have probably listened to on a weekly basis since the age of fourteen. I have listened to Nina Simone’s Baltimore numerous times over the last week whilst thinking about the horrifying events unfolding in America, and the bravery and importance of the Black Lives Matter movement.
The tracks I have chosen by Tom Waits and Regina Spektor are perfect for the times in which I have embraced the solitude which we have all recently found ourselves experiencing, in one form or another. Although they are two of the saddest songs I know, they never fail to instil a sense of calm and reflection when I need it most.
Finally, I have finished with Van Morrison’s Bright Side of the Road – a beautiful song that always lifts my mood. I hope it will remind you, as it does for me, that although we are facing difficult circumstances just now, the time will come when we will be reunited with friends and family, and our days will look brighter.
The Music Files 