Late Night Vibes

‘Tis the season of History 333 research papers, which means that all of the “first half” uppers and seniors are going to be looking forward to some late nights this week and next, and the lucky (for now) “second half” group will be going through the same cycle in a month or so. As such, a lot of upper classmen are seeking music to get them to the single-digit hours of the morning and beyond, and I’m writing this article at the tail end of an all-nighter to give you some recommendations that worked for me and may work for you as well.

One artist that I can’t recommend enough—late at night or not—is Bon Iver. Both of their albums are polished, cohesive pieces of work with a lot of amazing tracks and just enough variety to keep things interesting. Also, their acoustic style and subtle vocals are just subdued enough that, at least for me, they create a relaxed ambiance that doesn’t distract me from my work.

My personal go-to Bon Iver song is “Creature Fear.” The verses are slow, smooth and entrancing, drawing your attention to the chorus, which is by contrast very energetic with a pulsing kick drum and more intense vocals. Both sections of the song are stunningly beautiful melodically. “Re:Stacks” and “Holocene” are two other favorites of mine if you’re looking for something with a sadder tone, but just as elegant musically.

If this is the general style of music you’re looking for when you assemble your late night playlist, I can also recommend Elliot Smith and Sufjan Stevens, both acoustic, laid-back folk musicians known for emotional music. Try Kristian Matsson, whose stage name is The Tallest Man on Earth, if you’re looking for technical guitar playing and powerful, commanding vocals, and Youth Lagoon if you’re looking for something a bit more experimental but with the same core idea.

A little-known band that I recommend checking out is Explosions in the Sky. They are part of the post-rock genre, meaning they do instrumental arrangements written in a style that is reminiscent of classical music but performed with rock instruments like electric guitars and drum kits. Their album The Earth is Not a Cold Dead Place is rife with the vibrant optimism suggested by the name, and manages to convey a variety of other emotions even without lyrics.

And for when it gets really late, I recommend hard-hitting hip-hop to give you the energy you need to write that next paragraph without surrendering to sleep. Try the new Drake album, If You’re Reading This, It’s Too Late, (no pun intended) or either of Earl Sweatshirt’s albums if you’re looking for something darker. Mick Jenkins is another up-and-coming rapper with a lot of technical skill if you want to take a quick break from writing to enjoy some thoughtful rhymes and clever wordplay.

I hope this list helps you get through your next late night. To all the uppers and the unfortunate seniors, good luck, and happy listening.