BEST OF ALTERNATIVE CHILL - WEEK 19 PART 1

It’s that time of the week again—We’re back with a whole new batch of the absolute best new chill out songs of the week! Get comfortable and prepare for all of your stress and worries to wash away (well, at least for a little while) as we’ve got some amazing stuff from The Acid, Nosaj Thing, Hilang Child, Howling, and much more. So let’s jump into it already!

CAFE LANAI - PARADISE

We’re kicking off this week’s list with the debut single off of Cafe Lenai’s Paradise EP, “Lanai.” It’s a calming tropical house track beginning with a heart pounding beat, the sound of birds chirping (because #tropical), synths, and whispery soft, hard to distinguish vocals. There’s a breakdown full of ominous bass and breathy vocals just before the 3 minute mark that turns into a startling alarm-sound before easing back into a bouncy club beat. It’s a great track to chill out to while managing to keep your interest throughout its 5-minute duration.

HOWLING - SHORT LINE

Off of their new album, Sacred Ground, comes Howling and their new single, “Short Line.” The track begins with bubbly synths that have an almost 8-bit Nintendo vibe and Chris Martin-esque vocals. Soon booming bass is added along with more awesomely retro-sounding electronic elements that transform into winding and frantic controlled chaos.

LANY - SOMEONE ELSE

Los Angeles-based trio Lany totally grabbed our attention with their blissful new track, “Someone Else.” The track features beautiful vocal harmonies, echoey drum machine beats, and whimsical atmospherics that instantly put you at ease. With lyrics like “I can’t move on/ I’m sorry that I loved her first/ She’s the only one,” I couldn’t help but get a vibe reminiscent of Savage Garden (which is NOT a bad thing, by the way), but more on the alternative side.

MARIBOU STATE FEAT. PEDESTRIAN - THE CLOWN

From their new album, Portraits, comes London-based group Maribou and their slow-grooving piano-driven new single, “The Clown.” They’ve teamed up with Pedestrian and have created a laid-back track that’s packed with soaring atmospherics and just the right amount of electronic elements to keep things interesting and fresh.

MACKINTOSH BRAUN - WE RAN FASTER THEN

Mackintosh Braun’s new track, “We Ran Faster Then,” is totally one of my favorites this week. The Portland-based electronic duo instantly sucks you in with bass-heavy electronics, a fuzzy beat, and their soothing vocals that blend everything together. Once the chorus hits around the 1:10 mark, you’re thrown into a whirlwind of breathy vocals and warm electronics that make for a perfectly chilled out track.

THE ACID - ONYX

From their new album Liminal comes electronic group The Acid (why didn’t I think of that band name first?!) and their latest single, “Onyx.” The track takes its time getting going as it begins with far away-sounding vocals, delicate piano notes, and extremely subtle electronic elements. Things really get going about half-way through the track’s duration with a urgent beat and electronic elements that heighten the intensity. It’s simply a beautiful track!

WICCA WOO - TEN TIMES TO SUNDAY

New electronic duo Wicca Woo is just about to release their EP later this month, and their new single “Ten Times To Sunday” has us anticipating its release. The track grabbed my attention right away with its almost out of time beat that eventually calms down as backing bass-synths and awesomely fuzzy lo-fi vocals take care of the verses. I imagine this is what it would sound like if The Postal Service traded in Ben Gibbard for a much moodier frontman.

NOSAJ THING - LET YOU

Los Angeles-based artist Nosaj Thing (I love this guy’s stage name so much) will take you on a wonderfully relaxing journey on his new track “Let You.” The track will easily hold your attention throughout its almost 3 minute duration with its various beats, hypnotizing and futuristic sounding electronic elements, and eerie vocal samples that continue to build and transform. There is A LOT going on in this track but it all works together quite nicely.

HAUKJEM - FEELINGS LIKE THIS (ORIGINAL MIX)

Norwegian producer Mathias Haukjem (or Haukjem, for short) may only be 18 years old but it’s easy to tell he already knows exactly what he’s doing. “Feelings Like This” is an original mix of his that has an awesomely tropical and melodic vibe to it that features an uplifting thumping beat, hard-hitting keys, and just the right amount of funky elements to keep you grooving in your chair. I’m anxious to see what he releases next!

HILANG CHILD - THULE

New artist Ed Riman, aka Hilang Child, will close out today’s list with his gorgeous new track, “Thule.” The track is packed with piano, guitar, soaring choral vocals (reminiscent of Sigur Ros at times- which is awesome), and epic drums that make for a huge and well-crafted sound. This guy is totally on his way to big things.

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So there you have it—all of the best new alternative chill tracks to keep you sane this week.

"On The Move" by Holly Lay is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

About Erin Crider

Erin Crider eats, breathes, and sleeps pop culture. If you have a question about a one-hit wonder from the ‘90s or need help remembering lines from a SNL skit, she’s your girl. When she isn’t lurking the internet, she's either going to a show or hanging out at Disneyland. Erin lives in Southern California and has a B.A. in Creative Writing from Cal State Long Beach.