Ear candy to promote creativity
By Morgan Hannah, Life & Style Editor
Ah music, the backbone of life. Used during many occasionsâincluding studying, working out, cooking, or just getting those creative juices flowing; music is like candy for the ears. It feeds the soul and often inspires more than just creativity; it helps inspire action. Music can encourage, sooth, accompany, set a mood in the background, or take centre stage. Most of all, music is everywhere, and essentially everyone listens to it.
A genre that is relatively new to me is lo-fi hip-hopâthe marriage of traditional hip-hop with jazz, which creates a great light instrumental sound, perfectly atmospheric for studying. I came across this genre when seeking new tunes to write to, and it sure has helped me in producing some excellent work. Hereâs a sampling of YouTube lo-fi hip-hop from my personal history, and hereâs hoping that it may it inspire you too:
âSpecial Autumn mix ~ lofi hip hopâ playlist by Dreamy
A soft, sad, and celestial mix. The image of this playlist features an astronaut surrounded by an autumn scene. This music will generate some thoughts of creativity, no doubt.
âThe Garden | Lofi HipHop Mix |â playlist by YĆ«gen
Upbeat and sexy, this lo-fi playlist breaks the norm (Iâve generally experienced) with a groovier tone. With the backdrop art of fuzzy and tropical flowers, this mix makes creativity ooze out.
âHeavy Rain | Lofi HipHopâ playlist by Fantastic Music (verified)
Starting off sad and soulful with the backbeat of heavy rain like the title suggests, this lo-fi mix migrates into a more moving one as it goes on. With lots of piano, as is characteristic of the genre, this mix makes thoughts flow.
âlonely day – lofi hiphop mixâ playlist by Cloudx Music (verified)
This mix features an image of a girl laying in possibly the best-looking garden or backyard ever. Stereotypically oriental at parts and a bit repetitive at first, this lo-fi mix melts into more natural beats. Many tunes on this list are influenced by voices and a sharp piano. The playlist goes on as a calm and soothing force. If the lazy image of the playlist doesnât promote creativity, then the tunes certainly will.
âConcentrate Your Mind | lofi hip hop | Chillhop, Jazzhop, Chillout | [Study/Sleep/Game]â playlist by Dreamy
The perfect background music to study to or write with, with its image featuring an anime woman kneeling in a courtyard. An ambient indie sound that slides in and out of the classic lo-fi genre, sometimes even reaching an airy spectral sound.
âAlways Be Yourself lofi hip hop Chillhop, Jazzhop, Chillout Study Sleep Gameâ playlist by user Streamline TV By Henk Shields
Upbeat and colourful, this mix promotes doodling creativelyâand not just because the playlist art has an image of an anime school-girl doing just that. The music is winds and whirls in a classical-sounding way, allowing innovative streams of thought.
âOnly music and nothing more | lo-fi hip hop mix [study/sleep/homework music]â playlist by Dreamy
Five seconds in and youâll soon find yourself  convinced to listen to a whole hour of this smooth, soft, deep, piano-filled, and beat-heavy lo-fi playlist. With the image of a person with a content expression sitting on a hillside with stairsâpollen floating through the skyâthis mix features music just as peaceful. Hauntingly soft voices blend into the sensual and contemporary sound of this music.
âHome, sweet home – lofi hip hop mixâ playlist by Dreamy
Featuring a ghost hug meme at first, then a teen in a spotlight, this set is much softer and slower. Much like lounge music, this lo-fi mix is sure to generate some good moods and great creative thoughts.
