MOIMOI SAY RELAX

Are you specifically looking for non-music only?

I'm looking for music or ambient sounds on a loop. So far, in my attempts to find stuff to clear my head, I've found that not everything works the same for everybody, so it's not just a matter of googling "soothing music" or listening to Eno & Tangerine Dream (at some point, I will run out of Eno & Tangerine Dream records to listen to). For example, on my app, I find rain, train chugging, chirping birds, crickets, and some synth sounds therapeutic. I do not find bubbles, crackling fires, fans, thunder, or other synth sounds therapeutic. I'm interested to hear what works for people and see if it works for me (and I find it really interesting that different sound at different frequencies work for different people - I'm kinda geeking out on it...)

Moimoi, what is your opinion on ASMR?

As the TIF's resident "guy who likes ASMR and is willing to write long posts about it that no one will read," I had this same question.

Unfortunately, I am not lucky enough to experience ASMR - I could really use it since I hold so much tension in my neck and I've been unable to get a massage for months. I do find certain ASMR sounds generally soothing, like tapping my nails against things or rubbing my head/tummy, though. In fact, I find that placing one hand on my head and one on my belly helps me get to sleep. Maybe I need to experiment more? How does one get ASMR to work? Can anybody get it with the right stimulus?  

It's possible that experimenting more could lead to you finding "your trigger", but unfortunately no, it seems that many people simply don't get the tingles at all. And in my experience watching lots of ASMR videos and reading their comments, the people who do are triggered by multiple things. They have their favorites, but it'd be rare that only one or two things could trigger you. Context may help, though. When I first got into ASMR, I got by far the most tingles when I already tired. I couldn't put it on any time and get tingles on demand, by if I was in the physiological mood for it, tingles for days. So maybe try different types of videos (different triggers) at different times to see what happens. And if after 4-5 videos with different triggers you still feel nothing, then I wouldn't hold out hope that you are susceptible to ASMR.

And that's okay! Lots of people who enjoy ASMR don't get tingles. I very rarely do anymore, because I overindulged and developed "tingle immunity", which is pretty common. Most ASMR creators I follow admit they no longer get tingles either.

ASMR can still be effective for relieving stress, calming oneself and helping with sleep. I like to watch/listen to ASMR specifically because it clears my head and can make me feel tired. I'll put it on while I work to stay focused on a project, the way others do with music. Or I'll watch some before I go to bed to help me get to sleep faster. Many people like to listen to it as they sleep, but I don't do that myself. I also will sometimes put it on as simple background noise while browsing the web or doing whatever.

So I still think ASMR could provide the benefits you're looking for, even if you don't "get ASMR." The tingles are fun, but it's ASMR's reliable role as a "calm in the storm" that I really appreciate about it.

I think ASMR preferences are so personal that it wouldn't much help, but I can share some stuff I like later when, uh, I'm not on a work computer. Don't want to gunk up my work machine's YouTube history.

I love Herndon but, yes, I don't follow how her music could be considered relaxing. Catharsis is her angle. 

Regarding the Okefenokee Swamp release I recommended, listening to it earlier I really should have linked the superior second half of the album. Side 1 is quality nature sounds but Side 2 feels like a particularly abstract and dubby post-punk act with the drums removed. It's weird.

Test 5.  Music Interiors - Japan as recommended by Jean-Luc de Lemur

1. How long did I listen? I kind of drifted away at the 51 minute mark to talk to somebody, but I came back and finished the whole thing. 
2. What was the best part? Yoichiro Yoshikawa – “Crater on the Moon” from Miracle Planet was my jam. I also liked Toshifumi Hinata – “Colored Air” from Reality in Love, Yutaka Hirose – “Nova” from Sound Scape 2: Nova, and Hiroshi Yoshimura ‎– “Water Copy” from Music For Nine Post Cards. Normally, I would favor Midori Takada and Interior for the suggestion of groove, but not for this exercise. 
3. How relaxing is it? It was a challenge to relax with everything going on today (did I mention one of the sites I manage is in Minneapolis?) Major, pulsating headaches all day that were hard to push back. Still, I give this a solid 七個 おにぎり (7 onigiri) 🍙🍙🍙🍙🍙🍙🍙

Test 6. Music Interiors Vol. 2 - Italy

1. How long did I listen? whole thing - really wish somebody had added time markers in the soundcloud comments
2. What was the best part? O.A.S.I. ‎– “Il Gioco Dei Sogni” Il Cavaliere Azzurro, followed by Roberto Musci / Giovanni Venosta – “Nexus On The Beach” Water Messages On Desert Sand
3. How relaxing is it? This collection had even more groove, for which I might upgrade it from chillout to sexytimes. sei gelati (six gelatos)🍨🍨🍨🍨🍨🍨

I'm glad you guys brought this up, as I was meaning to get back to relaxing (before I had to jump into a few online and IRL battles) and, in my research for a queer POC radio show next week, Nona Hendryx's work with Material came up. I streamed the version with the yakshi cover, which seems more appropriate. 

Test 7. Bill Laswell - Hear No Evil

1. How long did I listen? sab sunayi (I listened to all of it)
2. What was the best part? The first track, "Lost Roads" kind of sounds like a groovier Cocteau Twins with some head-massaging tabla from Zakir Hussain - which is always welcome. "Kingdom Come" was my favorite track overall. 
3. How relaxing is it? It gets less relaxing toward the middle, around "Assassin", which caused me to wander off, but I came back and enjoyed the rest. Five temples 🛕🛕🛕🛕🛕

Have you heard this great song called "Plastic Love" by Mariya Takeuchi

Sorry, this was me being a dick and not an actual question: I was referencing "Plastic Love" because it and Plantasia are infamous for being recommended by the YouTube algorithm 24/7.

If you dig that kind of music though I can pull out some favorites from my days as a vaporwave obsessive.

Kind of a ""normie"" pick but my favorite "relaxing" vaporwave album is 2814's Birth of a New Day. My understanding is that 2814 is two people collaborating, one of whom puts out good stuff under the name "Hong Kong Express." (Vaporwave aliases are infamously inscrutable.) There are a bunch of good lists and infographics that list hundreds and hundreds of good albums sorted by genre if you want to do a really deep dive.

(Personally I find myself gravitating away from vaporwave and towards the 90's video game soundtracks that inspired it. Right now I am in love with the inexplicably gorgeous score for Waterworld on Super Nintendo.)

A friend of mine gave me a copy of Oval's Systemich because I, like her, am synesthetic, and she described it as a good album to look at. It is, indeed, interesting to watch -- it is ambient and staticy and warm. It may be a good album to relax to even if you can't see it?