On days when we feel particularly under the weather, we often gravitate more towards somber kinds of music with dark or depressing themes. This is quite reasonable, as it directly expresses negative emotions to which we relate during those hardships. However, we also have a tendency to lose sight of the sheer power music can have over our emotions and how uplifting it can be in our darkest times. I’ve compiled a brief list of songs from a variety of genres for the next time you find looking for a light at the end of the tunnel.

1. Katamari Damacy – “The Moon & The Prince”

Since its 2004 release, Katamari Damacy has been hailed as one of the greatest games of the modern era with its unique gameplay mechanics and whimsical art style, which includes the quirky, cheerful soundtrack. Composed by Akitaka Tohyama, this particular track combines a bright tonality and idiosyncratic electronic production with much success, generating a nice, sunny tune that’ll have you dancing the whole day as it rings throughout your subconscious. Just set it as your morning alarm and let its infectious groove guide you through whatever the day happens to throw your way!

2. George Benson – “Breezin’”

Nineteen seventy-six saw the release of George Benson’s Breezin’, one of the most iconic smooth jazz albums out there. The album’s title track utterly epitomizes the word “pretty” as it indulges your ears with an elegant flute intro before the bass and drums even enter. Immediately afterwards begins Benson’s jazz guitar playing, flowing and fluid in a way that makes the song’s title more than well-deserved.

3. Incubus – “Are You In?”

Rock band Incubus has had plenty of hits in the past with the uplifting tunes “Drive” and “Stellar” from their album Make Yourself, but this more overlooked track off of the Morning View album is no less effective in lightening up your mood. Singer Brandon Boyd has a rather friendly and chipper tone as he recites the lyrics which quite literally serve to invite you to join what must be the sort of fun Incubus had recording this track. Combine that with a groovy rhythm section and guitars awash with effects and you have quite a beautiful, resonant song to put a smile on your face.

4. Lotus – “Spiritualize”

A forerunner of the “jamtronica” scene, Lotus merges live instrumentation and improvisation with elements of electronic music into a very unique, enjoyable style. While they have matured their sound with every album, this track from their debut Nomad is simply phenomenal. Let its steady groove, subdued guitar playing and lush synthesizers take over your mind and wash away your troubles. It may just be the happiest nine minutes and eighteen seconds of your life.

5. Aphex Twin – “Fingerbib”

You have Aphex Twin to thank for essentially everything good about modern electronica. Ever since his 1992 inception with Selected Ambient Works 85-92, he has been one of the most innovative and influential producers out there. Every track he puts out is a strange little masterpiece, and this one from the Richard D. James Album is no exception. Hearing this track with its indescribable jovial quality is much like breathing a sigh of relief at the end of a great struggle knowing that everything turned out alright in the end.

6. Spiritualized – “Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space”

Spiritualized (not to be confused with the aforementioned Lotus song) is typically classified as a “space rock” band, characterized by sonorous, psychedelic musical textures meant to evoke feelings of floating, cruising, and flying. The eponymous track from the band’s album Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space certainly does not fall short of that definition. The continuous rhythm, subtle guitar melodies, airy vocal delivery and resonant synth chords all work together to create a feel much akin to, well, floating in space. A fantastic listen before going to bed after a relatively difficult day and waking up the next day to “The Moon & The Prince”!

7. Charles Mingus – “Moanin’”

Many a brilliant composition lies within the discography of legendary jazzman Charles Mingus, and this classic is one of the many highlights of his repertoire. One of his most uptempo tunes, this lively jam outlined by the virtuosic bari-sax work of Ronnie Cuber is almost certain to have you tapping your feet along to its vigorous swing rhythm for all nine minutes of it!

8. Claude Debussy – “Clair de Lune”

We’ll cap off this list with perhaps the most well-known work on here: Claude Debussy’s solo piano masterpiece “Clair de Lune”. Being a work of impressionism, this piece emphasizes the depiction of a certain mood and feel as opposed to conventional composition. That means there is no set tempo and technically no set tonality, leaving the piano to drift gracefully on its own with an indescribable splendor. The sounds you will hear in this piece are nothing short of hypnotic, and it goes to show what a great musician can do with just a piano. Whether you’re relaxing after a long day or about to cry yourself to sleep, take five minutes to let this sublime work of art transport you to its own little world where, for the duration of the performance, nothing exists but sheer beauty.

I heavily encourage you to not only listen to the above songs, but also to look into their creators’ bodies of work if you aren’t already familiar with them. The act of expanding your musical tastes in and of itself will help to brighten your spirits! Enjoy the music and have a wonderful day!