Selected Ambient Works

Grindcore

Instrumental heavy metal.

Techno, house, trance, or nintendo music.

LoFi

Krautrock

When I really need to concentrate I put on music in a foreign language. Mainly German because I’ve found a lot of German bands I like. Some of my favorites that sing mainly in German:

• Wizo
• Die Ärzte
• Die Toten Hosen
• We Butter Out Bread With Butter

Either ambient instrumental music (lots of Brian Eno) or any music that I know all the words to (so that my brain doesn’t have to actively process the lyrics).

I’ve been listening to breakcore lately. Gets me in the mood for serious work, it’s like a microdose of adhd meds

When I was in the office, always metal. At home I’m more likely to listen to classical, but still metal if I need to be totally focused.

The first Sims game soundtrack

Depends on the kind of concentration. If I’m programming or doing some kind of math, I want fury. I’m reaching for Slayer or Megadeth or the Doom sound track. Nothing like Angel of Death to plow through something.

If it’s more contemplative, power ballads. Something I can sing without focusing on it. I Want to Know What Love Is. Keeps pace, but it’s more emotional. Keeps me in that thoughtful place.

Cooking, woodworking, cleaning. Something active but not on the whole fast. Heavy metal, southern rock, or blues. Kiss, CCR, Lynyrd Skynyrd, BB King. Something even tempo that can pick up and come back down. Freebird followed by Fortunate Son is a good example.

Anything without vocals so that it doesn’t force me to actually think about it, just vibe.

Lately Chikoi The Maid (maidcore rock) or Gnome (just-riffs-rock?) to some dnb/techno stuff, depends on the mood and how hard I need to focus - faster is better then.

Lofi covers of video game music. Mostly Zelda, because I am a dork.

It’s really hard to time it just right but the theme to Jeopardy 👍

Get it wrong and it’ll really surprise you!