From our little island of misfits to your eardrums, here’s a playlist we created with our team’s all-time favorite and go-to songs and albums.
The Arsenal Team are certifiable audiophiles. When you come by our office, there’s always music to get our collective grooves on at work. The result? An eccentric mix of music options that perfectly represent the diversity of personalities we have in our little work-family.
On this week’s Arsenal Picks, we have gathered the team at Arsenal and asked them what their all-time favorite songs and albums are.
Check them out below.
Music recommendations from the Arsenal team
We collected some of our team’s go-to music. If you’re looking for great music to listen to on Spotify, we’ve turned it into a Spotify playlist, too.
Hit play below.
Fleetwood Mac, “Rumours”
You know that one record you return to at different points in your life? That’s what “Rumours” is for me. Arguably the band’s magnum opus, the album has a behind-the-scenes history as rich as its musicality and technical chops. These come at a time when Stevie Nicks has been branded a modern woman of the Pagans. And true enough, she casts an immovable spell with songs like “Dreams”, a breakup song written so that its guitarist will have to bitterly play it in a lifetime of touring.
–Armand
Gabrielle Aplin, “English Rain”
This whole album helps me calm down every time I feel lost and when I have a lot of questions about life, love, or anything else under the sun. It makes me feel like I’m not alone because I know that somebody else feels exactly the same way, or at least asks the universe the same questions that I have.
–Rosie
The Fray, “How to Save a Life”
Someone you know might be fighting some battles you are not aware of. This is what the verses of the song is all about: the singer is in grief for not knowing how to save the life of his friend. All he could say was “And I pray to God He hears you”. These lyrics might resonate to some of us since some people might be experiencing or have experienced a dark past that we somehow managed to escape from.
–Lara
El Michels Affair, “C.R.E.A.M.”
Classic Hip Hop reinvented with Soul Big brassband. This song and even the entire album is easy enough to listen to whilst behind the camera, writing in a café or designing the latest t-shirt graphic. It’s Wu-Tang but reinvigorated and fresh, toned down over harmonies, bass lines with the unmistakable samples.
–Ray
Epik High, “Sleepless in _______”
I honestly don’t know how to describe this album without having to go through the prejudice that a lot of people have towards Korean music in general (not just KPop). But if you like lo-fi, hiphop beats, and can manage to overlook the fact that you can’t understand what they’re saying (an easy Google search helps, BTW), I think Epik High’s latest album is for you. Listening to “Sleepless in _____” really gives me comfort. Plus, it makes me miss Seoul even more.
–Anne
Sigur Rós, “Takk..”
Sigur Ros’ fourth post-rock album is a very beautiful and cinematic journey. The band’s mesmerizing Icelandic vocals and melancholic tunes meshes well together, giving the listener a sense of nostalgia as they go through the tracks. Album highlights for me are “Hoppipolla”, “Saeglopur”, and “Glosoli”.
–Alfonso
Paramore, “Last Hope”
This song from Paramore has resonated with me at a time when I felt like I was drowning with the way things had made me think. It gave me faith that there was still something to do, that yes, I will always face difficult challenges in my life, but at the same time, I know I’ll come out of it alive. That’s why whenever I start to think negatively about things, I listen to this song to remind myself of that fact.
–Marian
Joey Bada$$, “1999”
A 17-year-old Joey Bada$$ dropped his debut project in 2012 and since then made waves over the hiphop industry. When his beats drop, one would automatically recognize that 90’s boombap with tracks by noteable producers like the late J. Dilla and MF Doom. Coupled with some complex rhyme schemes and over the top wordplays this one is a sure literary piece of work. With features from the late Capital Steez and the rest of Pro Era, it’s a melting pot of different flows and styles. Personally one of my influences in writing lyrics and one of my all-time fave hip hop albums.
–Stephen
Jhené Aiko, “Triggered”
Since the release of her 2020 “Chilombo” album, Jhené has perfectly produced a magnetic album through her poetic lyrics and smooth sound. Each song from the album features sounds from a crystal singing bowl as a form of sound healing. The album gives the listener a cathartic feeling of letting go of pain and regret. “Triggered” acknowledges someone who brings out your worst side and how one moves forward from this.
–Therese
Angels & Airwaves, “I-Empire”
Angel & Airwaves’ “I-Empire” album has remained a staple part my go-to playlists since high school, mostly because it has helped me cope in times when I felt heartbroken, stressed and anxious about life. Their ability to convey different kinds of emotions in one tracklist is the reason why I fell in love with this album in this first place. And it will forever be my escape if I ever do get stuck in that dark place again.
–Monika
The 1975, “Robbers”
“Robbers” gives so much meaning on how far you will go to save a toxic relationship. Together with the music video, it lets you understand the meaning of the song more clearly – that see love is really blind, in terms of vices. The song itself is chill, freeing and painful.
–Dominique
Tiziano Ferro, “Ti scatterò una foto”
This song is a total palate cleanser. It’s new and nostalgic at the same time. Though in Italian, it speaks to us in the familiar language of fights and forgiveness, of love and longing. I find the melody relaxing and cathartic.
–Mariah
gnash ft. Ben Abraham, “dear insecurity”
“dear insecurity” has tugged my heart strings in every way possible. It highlights how insecurities have such a strong hold on us but also, we are more than what it claims us to be. The lyrics brilliantly end with acceptance and knowing that there’s true freedom in letting go.
–Kim
Panic at the Disco!, “Pray for the Wicked”
Do you have a dream for the future? Listen to P!ATD’s sixth studio album, “Pray for the Wicked”. “High Hopes” is a reflection of a journey from failure to accomplishing one’s dream. Whenever I listen to this song, it encourages and motivates me to keep going to my goal, take risks, face your fears and don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Album highlights for me are “Hey Look Ma I Made It”, “Dying in LA”, “One of the Drunks” and “Say Amen (Saturday Night)”.
–Abby
Netflix’s OZARK, “OZARK (Soundtrack)”
This show kept me company on the early part of the lockdown. I love how a perfectly selected song can set the mood of a scene. Most of the hip-hop tracks were used to give more depth to one of my favorite characters on the show, Ruth Langmore.
–Andre
