The Tab’s Week 5 Playlist

It's that time again: you're just over halfway through term, everything seems to be stacking up on top of you, there are people demanding things left right and centre, and you just want to go home. The dreaded Week 5 Blues have hit.

But worry not! If anything can get you through the slump, it's taking a bit of time to yourself, enjoying something for a few minutes, and keeping up your spirits when you have to sit trawling through material for that essay that's been keeping you up all night. If one thing can achieve all this, it's music, so today I'm sharing my 'Get me through Week 5' playlist – I'll talk you through why I chose some of the tracks here, and link it both here and at the bottom! (spotify:user:thetabcambridge:playlist:43QQv95D2NLL0lnMJsSqgD)

We start with some sweet romantic tunes: '3 Days' by Rhye is a song I will often put on if I need to calm myself down, Milosh's androgynous, smooth vocals almost carressing the song – not long after this, DJ Koze's 'Baby (How Much I LFO You)' bubbles its beats and wobbling synths up the same way butterflies come along when you're around a crush.

Some of these tracks are, I have to admit, quite personal additions that remind me of home – 'Life's a Gas' by T-Rex is one of these. My mum always used to stick this on in the car, and it's earned a place in my heart as one of those songs that will never cease to make me feel at home, something I'm sure most people can relate to. From an old favourite to a newly discovered gem, I recently came across Madi Sipes & The Painted Blue and their album Privacy, a delightful record that sounds somewhere between the summery vibes of Tennis and the slower moments of HAIM – the track I picked, 'Mystery Novels,' is a lovely acoustic number from later on in the album.

I chose most of these songs in the hopes that they'll both calm and uplift, a mix that's ideal for when you're in the library and need some light music to work to. Another new find, duendita's 'pray' is soulful, full of light, and deeply warming – on the chorus duendita sings 'I pray to my God and my Mum 'cos they're both the same' and it gives me a little smile each time I hear it. Soon after, the one-time collaboration between Dev Hynes (of Blood Orange) and Brendan Cook, 'Hymn' by VeilHymn, is a sleek, funky 4 minutes that's bound to leave you feeling a bit better.

One of my favourite albums from last year was Let's Eat Grandma's I'm All Years, and the glittering 'I Will Be Waiting' was one of the record's highlights. Like many of the songs on the album, it builds up to a glorious climax, something that dream-pop seems to do quite well. In that vain, I've also added in a couple of Beach House songs, masters that they are in creating an atmosphere and pushing it up to its limits. 'Dive,' from their most recent release, 7, struts along until a wall of guitars propels the track to new heights, and 'Wishes,' from their earlier release Bloom, has a misty, hopeful air to it.

I haven't forgotten to add in some classics, though. With a bit of an underlying Matilda theme (a film which I think we can all agree makes everything better), I've popped in Thurston Harris' 'Little Bitty Pretty One,' one of the most joyous songs I can think of, and 'Send Me on My Way' by Rusted Root, an absolute classic which, if you play out loud near me, will solicit a very passionate (and possibly unwanted) sing-along without fail.

As the playlist comes to a close, I've included two undeniably feelgood songs: Frank Ocean's 'Pink + White,' a song that feels like it's almost been lifted up on wings, and 'Tadow' by Masego and FKJ. The version of 'Tadow' on the playlist is the compressed, streamlined product of an incredible jam session between these two, which I'll include down below – it's a truly impressive 8 minutes you can use for some procrastination if you really need a little break from that damn essay.

I hope you enjoy at least some of the songs featured here, and that they can somewhat help you get through those Week 5 blues. Music's a great way to relax and refocus yourself, and it's great to find a bit of quiet among the hubbub of Lent term, so it never hurts to take a moment to revisit that favourite artist, that classic song, or to look for something completely different.

To listen to The Tab's Week 5 playlist, simply copy and past this link into your URL: spotify:user:thetabcambridge:playlist:43QQv95D2NLL0lnMJsSqgD