About this Playlist
The Unavoidable Sadness & Its Strange Comfort
Even if you resisted, these songs would pull the sadness out of you like a tide—not to drown you, but to cleanse. The playlist thrives in that sacred space between hurt and healing, where every acoustic pluck, synth hum, and cracked vocal feels like a confession you didn’t know you needed to make.
“Light On” – Maggie Rogers
A cathartic blend of folk and electronica where banjo plucks dissolve into shimmering synths. Rogers’ raw vocal delivery turns anxiety into anthemic release, with the chorus (“Oh, let the light in!”) feeling like both plea and triumph. The production swells like a breaking wave – intimate verses crashing into radiant, full-bodied choruses.
“How It Goes” – Oh Wonder
Minimalist melancholy at its finest. The icy piano and haunting dual vocals create a suspended-in-time quality, with lyrics that acknowledge heartbreak with weary acceptance (“That’s just how it goes”). The empty space between notes amplifies the ache, making it devastating yet strangely comforting.
“Evergreen” – Ryan Beatty
A dreamlike ballad wrapped in atmospheric production. Beatty’s airy falsetto and hazy guitar work evoke the persistent ache of nostalgia (“You’re like evergreen, always in my dreams”). The sparse arrangement makes every whispered confession feel like a secret being shared in the dark.
“Orange Magic” – Julia Michaels
Synth-pop heartbreak with an addictive edge. Michaels’ conversational lyrics and warped production capture post-breakup obsession perfectly (“I hate that I miss you when you’re just a ghost”). The pulsing beat contrasts with vulnerable lyrics, creating that bittersweet push-pull of wanting what hurts you.
“Talk Is Cheap” – Chet Faker
Smoldering electronic soul that simmers with unspoken desire. The jazzy piano and Faker’s smoky vocals create an intimate, late-night vibe (“I don’t wanna talk, I just wanna touch”). That hypnotic bassline and vinyl crackle make emotional avoidance sound irresistibly seductive.
This playlist is the sound of sitting with your shadows until they become companions. It’s the ache of Bon Iver’s glitches, the gravel in Ray LaMontagne’s throat, the way George Ezra’s joy crashes into Gregory Alan Isakov’s retreat. You’ll cry—but you’ll also feel the warm weight of a hand on your back, guiding you through.
Track Listing
- Different Worlds – Jes Hudak
- No Name – Ryan O’Shaughnessy
- Light On – Maggie Rogers
- Barcelona – George Ezra
- Yellow Lights – Harry Hudson
- Talk Is Cheap – Chet Faker
- How It Goes – Oh Wonder
- Towers – Bon Iver
- If I Go, I’m Goin – Gregory Alan Isakov
- Jolene – Ray LaMontagne
- What I’ve Been Kicking Around – The Tallest Man On Earth
- Sagres – The Tallest Man On Earth
- Lead Me Back – San Holo
- Evergreen – Ryan Beatty
- Orange Magic – Julia Michaels
- Pessimist – Julia Michaels
- Depth Over Distance – Ben Howard
- Broken – Jake Bugg
- Agape – Bear’s Den
- Pretty Pictures in My Mind – The Lumineers
- S P E Y S I D E – Bon Iver
Playlist image by Massimiliano Morosinotto on Unsplash
