Instrumental Albums I Like

The exam period is sadly approaching, and I, like many others, find that I can focus on revision for a lot longer if I am listening to music. Music without lyrics is the best for this task, and so I thought this would be a nice segway into reflecting on some of the instrumental albums I go back to most frequently (not just when I’m working!).

Elaenia by Floating Points

This album can’t really be boxed into one genre. I love how he fuses jazz influence with a more electronic, experimental sound. The album flows seamlessly between tracks and has so many unpredictable moments.

In A Space Outta Sound by Nightmares on Wax

Having picked this album to go on the list, I did some reading about it and found that Nightmares On Wax was one of the earlier artists making music coined as ‘Trip Hop’ (a name I have just learned originated from Bristol where I am at university!). Trip Hop encompasses mellow beats influenced by jazz and soul. This album is groovy and smooth – more on the repetitive side but extremely well put together and a real head-bopper for me.

2012 – 2017 by Against All Logic

A.A.L is the alias of American artist Nicolas Jaar, and he released this compiled project with little warning. It’s definitely one to dance to and is very easy to enjoy compared to some of Jaar’s other more experimental work.

Black Focus by Yussef Kamaal

This album is a project from the duo made up of British keyboardist/producer Kamaal Williams and drummer Yussef Dayes. It captures the unpredictability of jazz that would be expected in a live improvisation setting, with these artists playing a prominent part in the emergence of a new scene in UK jazz. Hip-hop and afrobeat influences are interweaved into this exciting, quality album.