TOP CHILL SONGS - WEEK 49

It seems like with every passing hour, the world is turning that little bit faster on its axis. With the Internet allowing us to be more hyperconnected than ever, and the culture of instant gratification now being the norm, it feels like we're living on a spinning top that's destined to veer out of control at any given second. It doesn't have to be this way, however. Just by taking a few minutes out of our day to slow down and hit the “decelerate” button on life, we can make huge improvements to both our mental and physical well-being. As the weekend approaches, then, why not enjoy a moment of peace and harmony this Friday with the latest edition of We Are: The Guard's Top Chill Songs? Featuring SYML, Låpsley, Dounia, Caribou, No Rome, and more, this playlist has something for everyone.

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SYML – TAKE ME APART

Every once in a while, a track comes along that resonates with you on a deeply visceral level, and you can't even pinpoint why. For me, “Take Me Apart” is one of those tracks. I'm not sure if it's the despairing lyrics, the ravishing combination of piano and vocals, or the way that it crescendos into a symphony of emotion, but all I can say is: This hits different.

LÅPSLEY – LIGNE 3

It's a complex thing, falling out of love. It doesn't just happen overnight. It's a feeling that can creep in over several weeks and months. Even once we've broken up with someone, the intricate emotions can linger, with Låpsley coming to terms with this on “Ligne 3” – a chiming lament that hears Låpsley murmur: “It's not easy letting go, it's not that simple.”

TIZ MCNAMARA – FALLING ASLEEP

Introducing Tiz McNamara, the Irishman who's making his debut on We Are: The Guard with “Falling Asleep.” As the title suggests, it's a cradle song of sorts that could lull even the most inveterate insomniac to sleep, with fingerpicked acoustics allowing Tim's hushed, husky vocals to set a rawly plaintive tone as he sings: “Keep me awake/I'm falling asleep.”

ARLO PARKS – PAPERBACKS

London's Arlo Parks is inviting us into her hazy dreamworld on “Paperbacks,” from her recent EP Sophie. Opening to a salvo of lo-fi trip-hop beats, before a reverb-drenched guitar washes in alongside Arlo's lightly rasping coo, “Paperbacks” is a sunlit reverie about boys, sex, and the innocence of youth that you'll want to get lost in time and time again.

DOUNIA – MY OWN COMPANY

Dounia has got a hot date for one on her latest single “My Own Company.” The Queens act makes it clear that she doesn't need no man to keep her satisfied or entertained on the silky, pillowy piece of boudoir-pop, with Dounia's breathy, airy voice curling like cigarette smoke as she sings in the sexy chorus: “Leave me alone to enjoy my own company.”

CARIBOU – YOU AND I

Following on from the release of the soulful slapper “Home” earlier this year, Canadian beatmaker Caribou is back today with “You and I.” It's a vibrant, shape-shifting opus that takes many different forms over its four-minute duration, with Dan Snaith's voice acting as a uniting force between the radiant verses and the more chopped-and-screwed interludes.

LIDO – HOW TO DO NOTHING

Coinciding with the announcement of Peder – an album about a child who grew up on a spaceship – Lido returns today with the adorable “How to Do Nothing.” It's a moving ballad that introduces us to Peder's main protagonist, with Lido's stunningly crafted harmonies and emotional imagery bringing to life the cute character at the beating heart of the album.

NO ROME (FEAT. DIJON) – TRUST3000

There's no about it: Long-distance relationships are hard work. Just ask No Rome, the Dirty Hit signee who's meditating on the trust issues that tend to arise when you're oceans apart on “Trust3000.” “Trust in me, you'll find/Your own peace of mind,” sings No Rome on the track – a slick, skittering plea to a lover that features We Are: The Guard favorite Dijon.

LANE 8 (FEAT. ARCTIC LAKE) – DON'T LET ME GO

Lane 8 is wrapping up the year in truly ascendant style with “Don't Let Me Go.” The third single to be taken from the melodic house act's forthcoming album Brightest Lights is like the audio equivalent of a rocket full of emotions being propelled skyward, with Arctic Lake presiding with a sense of technicolor awe over the track's utterly soaring synth arpeggios.

EMILIA TARRANT – BLACK & WHITE

British singer-songwriter Emilia Tarrant comes to terms with her all-or-nothing thinking on her soul-crushing debut single. “The black and white/Of my messy mind/It's killing me,” emotes Emilia on “Black & White” – a powerful tempest of a piano ballad about destructive thought patterns that positions the 17-year-old's gut-wrenching vocals front and center.

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Photo by Anthony Tran on Unsplash

Jess Grant is a frustrated writer hailing from London, England. When she isn't tasked with disentangling her thoughts from her brain and putting them on paper, Jess can generally be found listening to The Beatles, or cooking vegetarian food.