#background jams

[honorablejester]

This. Is. It.

[jwby]

Just discovered this, and already hooked. Perfect background jams—just hit play and get work done, instead of constantly having to switch back over to that other tab/app, to adjust.

Thanks for the tip, Michael!

[theensemblist]

Obsessions: Background Jams

One of the great things about creating The Ensemblist is that we get to feature some incredible musicians on the podcast. In addition to including clips from the cast recordings of the shows we are discussing, Nikka and I also want to share some of the other music that we love.

Here are two of the songs we used as background audio in our teaser promos, as well as some videos and links for you to check out the songs in their entirety.

Boy - “Little Numbers”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsyjS_vJfkw

I first found this song thanks to iTunes’ free discovery downloads. (Honestly, it’s where I find a ton of my favorite new music.) This Swiss pop duo actually consists of zero boys, so the name of the band just makes me giggle.

This track off of their Mutual Friends album has a low piano groove that hooked me from the first time I heard it. And when the drums kick in on the chorus, I can’t help but bop my head. I challenge you to try not to bop your head. DO IT.

And can we talk about the lyrics? “Little Numbers” is a fun and funny description of the excitement and craziness you feel when you’re falling for someone. Highly recommended.

Fitz & the Tantrums - “The Walker”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnXB3BlV-Jo

I’ve had a fondness for Fitz & the Tantrums for a couple of years, having fallen for “L.O.V.” and “Moneygrabber” off of their last album, Pickin’ Up the Pieces.

According to this video from the KEXP studios, this new song is about “a mythical creature in the Silver Lake hills of Los Angeles called The Walker.” To be honest, I’m just into it for their retro sound and catchy licks. It’s a perfect song for strutting down 9th Avenue on a sunny summer evening.

Also, I can’t whistle, so I’m kind of obsessed that they can whistle live with such consistency.

-Mo