READ WHAT YOU HEAR: Rainy Day Academia Playlist

Rainy days on campus are beautiful. Gothic sandstone buildings look so much more at home against a dark cloudy sky. All the lawns look so lush, and the smell of wet earth is so calming. 

However, these days are a practical nightmare; frizzy hair, moist socks, and having to awkwardly scramble between buildings. I find it hard enough to get to campus on a sunny day. 

To combat my weather prejudice, I began curating a modern dark-academia rainy day playlist. It’s designed for stormy days spent stuck in the library, or nestled in the corner of a small cafe.

The following are my top picks; 

Matilda – Alt J

Out of every song on the album ‘An Awesome Wave’, ‘Matilda’ sounds the most like being serenaded by edgy fairies in an enchanted forest swamp. Joe Newman’s uniquely haunting voice adds a darker tone. It’s a solid song to longingly look out a foggy window to.

Chocolates and cigarettes – angus and julia stone

This track, the title track from the duo’s first EP, is a drawn-back coming-of-age tune. It’s super lowkey, with the thin sound stretched between Julia’s vocal and repetitive piano melody. It pairs perfectly with heavy rain on a tin roof.

 

Achilles come down – Gang of youths

This song oozes modern dark academia vibes, between the gloomy strings and David Le’aupepe’s vocals. It features interludes of what sounds like old French radio excerpts. These are actually dictations of Albert Camus’ essay, The myth of Sisyphus. Like the song, the essay uses stories from Greek mythology to discuss the tragedy of suicide.

Bury Me face down – grandson

I actually discovered this song on another playlist, inspired by modern academic aesthetics.. It has a very industrial electric feel, but the soulful voice and rhythm guitar heighten the mood. I highly recommend it for brooding in an old library, or storming down a dark corridor.

Talk – hozier

I battled with myself to only include one Hozier song in this list, because this is exactly his vibe. ‘Talk’ is a smooth bluesy bop, which attempts, but epically fails, at thinly veiling Hozier’s horniness.

You can access the playlist here, but let me know if you have any other suggestions!