There’s a theory gaining traction here at HSL that the older we get, the less we want to hear people yap. As we age, we have found ourselves getting more and more into ambient music of all genres — an underappreciated sector of music that holds some of the most talented musicians of all time in its palms. When you think about music, while all parts of it are important, one thing most can agree on is that the production is where it all starts. The beat is what makes you feel something before anything else — it’s what catches and retains your interest for the rest of the song. Nowadays, in a time more communicative than ever before in recorded human history, it’s almost odd to most people to suggest listening to music with little to no words in it, even though that’s where the origins of music began. HSL would like to argue that we need music like this now more than ever.

Studies show that listening to ambient music has positive effects on the nervous system, proven to reduce stress and anxiety as it can lower blood pressure and heart rate levels while also helping with brain function. If you’re anything like us, a calm nervous system is an essential key to getting through each day, especially in the times we currently find ourselves in. We find albums like this especially helpful in getting our minds off of being adults for as long as we want, bringing us peace and relaxation when we need it most. Here at HSL, we have a saying: “Art finds you when the universe sees fit”. Thankfully, this week, the universe guided us to this album right when we needed it, which it always does. That sentiment couldn’t be more true this week, as life has lately felt like we’ve been on a merry-go-round against our will. In times like these, we look for music that will slow us down, recenter us, and remind us of our purpose. Ambient music like this allows an avenue for self-reflection as there are no words to muddle your thoughts. Sometimes you just need a soundtrack to your internal dialogue, much like a movie needs a score to enhance the feeling of a scene.

Alsogood is a musician from Milan, Italy who we initially found through the Creative Focus playlist on Apple Music. The playlist features two songs from his 2021 album, “Life’s Beautiful”, which we really enjoyed. So much so, that we kept a mental note to check out his other work for a while. This album starts off strong with what turned out to be our favorite song on the album, “Son, Father, Child”. What an intro! To us, this song specifically feels like an auditory representation of the complexities of life. The speedy, upbeat drum and cymbal action can represent how fast life feels like it’s moving at times, while the the slow strum of the guitar and affectionate pressing of the piano keys speaks to the underlying emotions that make up life’s every day failures and successes. All of the instruments on this song, while contrasting, come together to create an emotional depiction of both the intensity and depth of a life well-lived. Songs like “Everyday Learning”, “Broken Hearted (feat. Ivan Conti), “My Legacy”, and “Calling Home” can provide listeners with a similar feeling. Alternatively, songs like “See The Light” (feat. DJ Harrison), “Everything We Don’t Say”, “Different Pathways”, and “I Met This Girl” bring us back down to Earth with that smooth jazz, cigar-lighting in a back room, velvet tablecloth under candlelight feel. The album ends poignantly with "Travel Into The Unknown” — a fitting title for a slow guitar/piano ballad that wraps up the general feeling of the overall album.

This album is going to be on repeat all week for us here at the Lounge, with the “Son, Father, Child” making an early case for itself to be included on our end-of-year favorites list. What do you think about ambient music — good for the soul or something you just can’t get into? Let us know in the comment section for this #POTW on our Instagram.