Balearic

It has always been the habit before leaving the office building: Pulling the iPod out of the backpack, the ear phones get inserted in my ears. Fingers then run across the shuffle button, as the mind decides what genre to play before drifting in the streets. The office is two blocks away from the main road. It gets tiresome out there, specially when walking in the afternoon. Choosing what track to listen maybe the only thing that separates exhaustion from euphoria. I cannot cover vast distances without hearing any song.

These past few days, a new pattern emerges. There is a different road going to the gym, which I also get to trek from work. I play house music going there because the hike uphill serves as my cardio. However, when I'm cruising off towards the spot where jeepneys ply their route, I get to choose a different genre to play. Gone are the days when I would play Alternative or Indie throughout the journey for when I look towards the sky and see the azure monochrome stretching from horizon to horizon, the image of the sea fills my vision.

And I begin to chill.

The mood requires soft sounds and ethereal voices for the mind to relax. Suddenly, I am warped away from the urban landscape and I could almost feel the tides lapping under my feet. The sun may scorch the skin but it doesn't matter, the head wanders and the downtempo enables me to imagine a secluded place far away from the city.

So what sounds bring me to faraway places? It can be as varied as the hues in the sky before twilight. What matters is it triggers a good memory or projects a picture of serenity. Whatever that hums softly pleases my ears. It maybe a guitar strum, a vocal distortion or distant murmurs from a female singer.

Here are the five chill out music tracks that never fail to spellbind me with their eclectic sound.


5. Lali Puna

Alien Nation (Alias Remix)
Micronomic, Faking The Books


Do you, do you, do you know?
Is the truth you see left celluloid?
Is the truth you see left celluloid?


It must be the continuous clapping sounds, or the pounding bass dominating the barely audible female vocals. Except for the three lines sang above, the song doesn't have any lyrics. The words even appear irrelevant to the title itself. However the layer of contrasting electronic sounds, looped and brought together by the synthesizer create a melody so industrial, one would never think this song belongs to the genre. What makes the difference is the dreamy, monotonous vocals that lull the ears despite the noise. Alien Nation, Alias Remix is one of my most hard-to-find mp3s and it lands at the fifth spot among my favorites in the Chill-Out category.



4. Cellar 55

With or Without You
The Chillout Project: Sisters of the Sun


Sleight of hand and twist of fate
On a bed of nails she makes me wait
And I wait without you.


One of the strengths of ambient music is its ability to project a scene of absolute tranquility. That is why some people call the sub-genre Sunset Music. Cellar 55 considers itself expert in this category. The airy vocals provided by the female singer was able to altercate U2's classic to make it sound more airy than the original. The pitch and tempo were altered to a slower arrangement to create a laid back atmosphere. The Mridangam (Indian Drums) renders an almost hypnotic beat, a listener may find himself entranced if the track is played on full volume.


3. Bliss

Kissing
Quiet Letters


On a journey of the heart,
there's so much to see.
And when the sky is dark,
you'll be right here,
right here with me.


Now its becoming clear. Chill-out music is fast evolving. They are beginning to incorporate eastern schools of music, that the fusion it create suits the relaxing scene it likes to paint. Ambient - is almost always - sung by a female vocalist. It is in the vaporous melody of words that bliss is achieved. Whenever I play this track, the image of parting clouds after a brief drizzle conjures in my head. I see visions of bluish-grey sky giving up the of last rays of sunlight. I could feel the moist ground and its evergreen surroundings; the cool, almost chilly wind brushing my skin in my imagination.

This song was played in the Sex and the City movie.


2. Jose Gonzales

Heartbeats
Veneer, Chillout Sessions 9


Both under influence
We had divine scent
To know what to say
Mind is a razor blade


It's been years since I last went to the beach and even eons since the last time I wallowed in its waters, or felt its sands on the palm of my hands. But whenever I play this track, its like I never lost sight of the shore. Jose Gonzales' acoustic cover far exceeds the original performed by the New Wave band Knife. Why? The secret lies in his masterful guitar performance. I don't know much about strums or guitars but the gentle brush of his fingers over the strings fret a soothing tune so infectious, it is one of the reasons I would love to learn to play the guitar someday.


1. Chicane feat Tracy Ackerman

No Ordinary Morning
Behind the Sun


You could give a million reasons
Change the world and change the tides
Could not give me the secrets
Of your heart and of your mind
In the darkness that surrounds me
Now there is no peace of mind
Your careless words undo me
Leave the thought of us behind


There are no words to describe this classic, except for bittersweet partings the song conveys. It is a song of utter loneliness for things that may never happen again. I first heard of this track almost a decade ago and true to its immortality, no artist has ever dared alter its musical arrangement. For it is an anthem by itself. I've read accounts of people becoming teary-eyed after playing this song, and true to its power, it still leaves me empty when I play it on early mornings to stir good memories. I claim this song as my favorite and I look forward that someday, I'd play No Ordinary Morning on my computer, just before sunrise and by that time, the person beside me is not someone I've met for a one-night stand but a lover who knows the song and would stay with me, hopefully, not just for one unforgettable daybreak.