I’m the type of person who is well acquainted with bouts of insomnia. I haven’t slept more than 3 hours every night for the past 2 weeks and it’s really starting to wear me down. There is one benefit of not being able to sleep, though. Listening to music alone at night is a borderline spiritual experience. You can give each song your undivided attention, so it feels like the artists are mainlining the music straight to your soul.

Luckily, it was a god damn good week for music. I mean, Thundercat released a song this week with mutha fuckin’ Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins! Plus, one of my favorites, Young Fathers released a song, which Danny Boyle describes as the “heartbeat” of the upcoming Trainspotting 2. Songs by Sylvan Esso, Goldfrapp, Louis the Child, and Cubenx also had me dancing this week. Finally, tracks from Tim Darcy and Chaz Bundick’s (Toro y Moi, Les Sins) collaboration with the Mattson 2 chilled me out and kept me from snapping at people irrationally in my sleep deprived state.

1. Thundercat ft. Michael McDonald & Kenny Loggins – “Show You The Way”:

2. Young Fathers – “Only God Knows”:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MgKdnmUBsg

3. Sylvan Esso – Kick Jump Twist:

4. Chaz Bundick Meets The Mattson 2 – “Star Stuff”:

5. Tim Darcy – “Still Waking Up”:

6. Goldfrapp – “Anymore”:

7. Louis The Child ft. Evalyn – “Fire”:

8. Cubenx – “Drizzling Lemon Pearls”: