10 chill albums for the winter time!

As of writing, things are (kinda) getting cold, fall is on the way out, and it's starting to get dark at 4:00 pm. Winter is around the corner and if you're anything like me, your taste in tunes is seasonal. Chill and laid-back music is my personal pick for this time of year, and I can imagine I'm not alone in that. Maybe you're wrapping up final projects and want some smooth background noise. Maybe you're watching the snowfall from your window and want a nice ambiance. Maybe the holidays stress you out, and you just need to lower your heart rate before you snap at somebody. There are lots of reasons why people may want some relaxing tunes during the holidays, so I figured I'd throw some recommendations out there.

Before we get started, there are some guidelines I want to establish. This is not a top-ten list, and it's obviously not comprehensive. Not every album needs to be super slow, they can have a couple of faster and louder tracks on them, they just need to have a generally laid-back vibe to them. They can also encompass many different styles and emotions. You may have a completely different definition of a "Chill" album and that's totally fine! I'll make sure to provide genre tags and to explain why I think an album counts if it doesn't seem to. Now with those disclaimers out of the way, on to the list!

Duster - Stratosphere (1998)

Genres: Indie Rock/Slacker Rock/Slowcore

Depending on who you ask, this is probably the quintessential slowcore album. I'm not quite sure if I agree with that (I'm partial to Down Colorful Hill by Red House Painters), but there's no denying how soothing this Duster record can be if you're in the correct mood. This album is loaded with a quiet, lo-fi, fuzzy atmosphere that I always like to return to on a late winter night. If you throw on the song "Constellations" while watching the snow fall from your window at night, you'll totally get it. "Gold Dust" and the title track "Stratosphere" are also good contenders. While there are some louder moments on songs like "Echo, Bravo" and "Earth Moon Transit," the majority of the record is very subtle, understated, and- as the genre label indicates- slow. Because this album fits firmly in the Slacker Rock genre and has such lo-fi production, the music sounds shaky and frigid, therefore matching the vibe of the outside weather. This is an album you want to throw on for the ambiance of the season.

Sade - Diamond Life (1984)

Genres: Smooth Soul/Sophisti-Pop

While 1992's Love Deluxe is probably Sade's best album, this first outing is my favorite. The immaculate and fiercely smooth sound that Adu and her band embody on their debut cannot be celebrated enough. This thing kicks off with "Smooth Operator," a song that would feel right at home in an 80's noir film or erotic thriller, before then moving into tracks like "Your Love Is King," "Sally," and the penultimate, "I Will Be Your Friend," which make perfect cuts for those dinner party playlist being made this time of year. The jazzy undertones are what make the smooth soul genre what it is, and the use of saxophone and keys absolutely cake this record in a fun yet mellow atmosphere that I find quite welcome right about now. Just imagine you're at an upscale bar on a winter night or are driving through the city in the snow; that's the kind of feeling this record gives me. This album is 80's sounding as all hell, which I understand might not be to everybody's taste, but I think that's precisely why I love it so much. Give it at least one spin this season, you'll get the picture.

Lamp - For Lovers (2004)

Genres: Jazz Pop/Shibuya-kei

So I went to Japan in May, and it was easily one of the coolest experiences of my life, greatly recommend it. After I got back, I decided to dig a bit deeper into the country's music and fell in love with this incredible band that every other music nerd already knew about, and I'm just super late. I picked this album for a lot of the same reasons I picked Diamond Life. This is yet another soothing pop album that goes super heavy on the jazz undertones. This album's strength lies in its consistency; it's just a highly pleasant experience front to back. From the driving yet understated percussion of tracks like "Last Train at 25 O'Clock" to the nice acoustic guitar-driven closer "Behind The Moon Shadow," this album just drenches you in mellow goodness. This is one I strongly recommend throwing on while putting together those final projects and studying for a test, I'll certainly be utilizing it.

Open Mike Eagle - Component System with the Auto Reverse (2022)

Genres: Abstract Hip-Hop/Conscious Hip-Hop/Jazz Rap

I hope I'm not alone on this but winter is when abstract hip-hop really shines best for me. This is when I like to whip out the MF DOOMs, Aesop Rocks, and Cannibal Oxs of the hip-hop world. I think Open Mike Eagle might be my personal favorite rapper. The LA-based Chicago native makes these fantastic low-key hip-hop jams with very witty/nerdy bars, and Component System with the Auto Reverse might be his best work yet. From the chime sample present in the opener "The Song with the Secret Name," the muffled vocal sample and killer Quelle Chris production on "79th and Stoney Island," to the heartfelt "For DOOM," a tribute to Mike Eagles' favorite rapper the late MF DOOM, this record is loaded to the brim with immaculate vibes. Double all that with some sick features from guys like R.A.P. Ferreria, Armand Hammer (rap duo consisting of Billy Woods and E L U C I D), and the aforementioned Aesop Rock on the closer, and you have a truly special hip-hop album to just chill out too.

Burial - Untrue (2007)

Genres: Ambient Dubstep/Future Garage/2 Step

I can imagine a few readers saw the genre tag "Ambient Dubstep" and got a little bit confused. A lot of us probably remember the Skrillex era of the genre, with its loud, pulsating drops and wah wah synths, the kind of Dubstep that became a meme. The genre is actually more about a song's BPM and heavy sub-bases, nobody every said it had to be loud. One listen to William Emmanuel Bevan's masterpiece Untrue will show you that this genre is so much more. This album coats the listener in a thick, dark, melancholic atmosphere. A lot of the songs on here, specifically tracks like "Ghost Hardware" and "UK," almost sound wet. Tracks like "Homeless" have some vocal samples so subtle, they sound lightyears away. I mentioned while talking about Duster earlier that production that sounds frigid is a plus for wintertime, and this album practically sounds like it's frozen and breaking apart. This might be a little too quiet for some folks taste, and I understand that, but I find it welcome for a late winter night.

Duke Ellington & John Coltrane - Duke Ellington & John Coltrane (1963)

Genres: Cool Jazz/Hard Bop

After including some jazzier picks, I knew I had to throw one straight Jazz record on the list. Jazz is one of the most comforting things to listen to this time of year because it can be really warm genre. I can't be the only one who hears jazz music and thinks of a warm fire during the holiday season (that might be because of A Charlie Brown Christmas, but that's neither here nor there). If I were to make a "top ten jazz albums" list, this would be top 5, no question. This album established its mood with the duo's version of the Ellington's classic "In A Sentimental Mood." Duke's effortless keys and Coltrane's smooth sax make this the definitive version of the song, and it's only the opener. You've got some bouncier tracks like "Take The Coltrane," "Stevie," and "Angelica" on here to keep up the pace, more serene slow cuts like "Big Nick" and "My Little Brown Book," and the closer "The Feeling of Jazz," which could be considered one of the most essential songs in the genre. It's also a very compact and easy to listen to the album (keen eye readers may have noticed that I highlighted every song), so anybody can jump in no problem. Give this one some time if you haven't heard it yet.

Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings the Flood (2006)

Genres: Alt-Country/Americana/Contemporary Folk

I promise I didn't just pick this because of the wintery album art (although that's a part of it). If you're looking to get into Alt-Country at all, this album is essential. Case's composition and vocals just paint a warm and soothing picture, even on some of the rock-heavy cuts. The soundscapes on this thing are absolutely stellar. For me personally, the use of strings for artistic flair on track 2, "Star Witness," gets me every single time. Some tracks are played for pure atmospheres, like the interlude-like songs "A Widow's Toast" and "At Last." Lots of the songs, like the early track "Hold On, Hold On" and the title track, use a really nice chorus effect on the lead guitar that contributes very nicely to the alt-country sound of the album. There are also some folksier cuts like "John Saw That Number" and "Maybe Sparrow" to give a sense of variety and reinforce the woodsy, fairytale-like vibe of the album. I like to throw on albums like this during the winter when I'm out walking the dog or driving somewhere, and I think this one's a perfect candidate for that kind of ambiance.

Earth - Earth 2 (1993)

Genre: Drone Metal

Alright, hear me out. This is definitely going to be the most "not for everyone" pick I throw on here. But I can guarantee somebody's going to understand what I mean. Despite being called Earth 2, this is the debut album from the Olympia band. CDs were being introduced at the time and could hold about 74 minutes of material, so the band set out to fill a whole CD with slow, droning, sparse metal riffs and a distinct distorted feedback present throughout the album. There are three songs that range from 15 minutes in length to 30 minutes in length. You may be reading this and thinking it sounds like torture, and I'm assuming to some people it is. But what I've shown on this list is that I love some slow melancholy, and that's exactly what this album sounds like. There's something hypnotic about the pure wall of droning noise this album gives you. It should be annoying, but it's actually calming. If you have unconventional taste like I do, at least try throwing it on the season just to see if it works for you.

Slowdive - Pygmalion (1995)

Genres: Dream/Ambient Pop/Post-Rock

While 1993's Souvlaki is the definitive Slowdive album and one of the most influential shoegaze/dreampop albums of all time, the band's direct follow up Pygmalion is somehow even more ambient, which suits this list pretty well. I've heard this album's production described as "ghostly" a couple of times, and I cannot agree more. This album opens with "Rutti," a ten-minute ambient track that utilizes soft electric guitar plucking and electric keyboard absolutely masterfully. Songs like "Miranda" and "Visions of LA" utilize the acoustic guitar for somber layering, with the latter using some truly breathtaking vocals from band member Rachel Goswell. "Trellisaze" has this wind sample that somehow makes such a quiet song sound gigantic, and "Cello" uses the exact instrument you think it uses but as understated as they can to create a pretty soundscape that's just a little haunting. A certain breed of goth would go crazy for this album. I've recommended a few albums that I would say sound cold on this list, but this one has them all beat. Do not sleep on this one.

Nina Simone - Sings The Blues (1967)

Genres: Soul Blues/Rhythm and Blues

I felt like this list needed one Blues album. And this might be a cop out, but I feel like I had to mention it. I like putting on old Blues music for the same reason I like putting on old Jazz music this time of year. There's something so warm about the genre that's perfect for either the fireplace or when you're having people over. And yeah, this is an obvious pick; of course, this is an amazing album. There are some fun, upbeat songs on this album, like "Day and Night" and "Real Real." But the primary reason this album makes the list is the incredible ballads and slow jams that this record is full of. Songs like "In The Dark," where piano and harmonica are paired together along with Simone's vocals, make a certified Blues classic. Croonier songs like "My Man's Gone Now" and "Since I Fell For You" maintain the grounded and emotional vibe of this album. This one does contain a pretty vibrant and chaotic rendition of "The House of the Rising Sun" that possibly breaks the nice, low-key vibe of the album but I personally think that doesn't matter much. This is an absolutely quintessential album you must hear before you die, so I feel good putting it here.

And that's the list! I tried my best to cover many genre bases and I hope I was able to convince you to jump on to at least one of these albums this winter. Have a nice rest of the year!