Best Songs To: Fall Asleep To
Everyone has different sleeping habits. Some of us have to listen to rain sounds or white noise to feel cosy, whereas some people can fall unconscious with ease, sitting upright on public transport. If you’re finding it difficult to drift into your dreams, our Music Editors Katie and Brandon have the perfect playlist to send you to sleep (in the best way possible).
Peace of Mind (Electrosoul) - Claro Intelecto
Brandon: If your mind is attuned to the electronic bleeps and bloops, this timeless electrobreak classic will be on the mellower side of your library. Released on Delsin records in 2014, this track combines chilly dreamy chords with an indulgent bassline, together they form a sense of tranquillity, contrary to this genre’s usual sentiments. For me, this tune can only be listened to with absolutely no sign of sunlight and pairs perfectly with the chill nights of winter.
Middle Names - Devendra Banhart
Katie: One of my all time favourite songs, that just so happens to be perfect for setting that sleepy tone as dusk turns to night. Banhart’s drifting vocals quiver over this ambient acoustic track, as he ponders the whereabouts of a lost love in the nighttime. An anthem for the yearning overthinkers to slow those thoughts right down.
Bust - Mall Grab
Brandon: Unlike most of the Australian DJ/producer’s catalogue, ‘Bust’ exists outside the realm of hard house and rave anthems. With ‘Bust’, Mall Grab forms an eerie street lit picture. Despite the aggressive undertones of the vocal sample, this tune patters its way through, MG adding softening chords and twinkling keys over a muted break. It’s the ‘wind it down’ set closer, it’s got a final page of the book, dimming outro vibe to it.
Come And Play In The Milky Night (Demo) - Stereolab
Katie: A 90s lullaby with only six lines that cradles me to sleep every time I listen to it. The thing with gentle songs like ‘Come And Play In The Milky Night’ is that they’re often incredibly, soul-crushingly sad (see: Elliot Smith’s entire discography) in their lyrical content, but this song retains quiet whimsy. It’s dreamy, just like a clear, star-studded night sky.
Olbass All Bass 004 (140 BPM) - Vegyn
Brandon: Don’t let the title put you off. This trap beat dances between electronic chimes and delicate hums and whirring, staples of Vegyn’s production. Simmering between pitches, I sometimes imagine the 2 minutes as closely matching stages of sleep. There’s a short period of intensity resemblant of REM, there’s a retrospective feel and an abrupt end (which for me tends to be sound of my morning alarm). It really does have it all, one of those tunes you wish had an extended version – similar to how much we yearn for a lay-in on the weekend.
Swing Lo Magellan - Acoustic Version by Unknown Mortal Orchestra
Katie: Unknown Mortal Orchestra’s acoustic cover of Dirty Projector’s ‘Swing Lo Magellan’ strips the track completely back, transforming an upbeat indie classic into a quaint ballad dedicated to a frustratingly bad GPS. Ruban Nielson’s voice gels perfectly with the ebbs and flows of this track, adding an extra layer of serenity.
So Long, See You Tomorrow - Bombay Bicycle Club
Brandon: The apt closer of their 5th studio album, the title track that brings together the grandiose production across this record. More than anything, this track symbolises endings, whether that’s the end of the day, year, or a period in your life. A steady incline, instrumental crescendo followed by a floaty outro, the album closer settles you into a hopeful optimistic state of mind. With Rae Morris’s additional vocals the complete sonar spectrum of this song ooze ethereal energy.
Nice and Quiet - Bedouine
Katie: Singer-songwriter Bedouine has a vintage folk feel about her contemporary music that lulls me into a dream-like trance every time I press play. ‘Nice and Quiet’ has a gentle, swelling build that compliments her ethereal vocals gorgeously. This song is perfect for getting cosy in warm bedsheets.
Envelopes (Chapter VI) - Leon Vynehall
Brandon: Cinematic. Meditative. Unapologetically ambient. Leon Vynehall packed his ‘Nothing But Still’ album with larger than life, spiritual, blossoming anthems and this track tops it. A steady bass tiptoes throughout, softened clacks and these incredibly unique effect-dowsed strings all play their part in making this dream-like masterpiece come to life. It doesn’t end there, as you begin to hear a raw lengthened strings section accompanying the bliss. Winding to a fading outro, the slowed feeling of ‘Envelopes’ really puts you at ease and in a calm state.
Miffed It - Way Dynamic
Katie: One of my current favourites, ‘Miffed It’ by Way Dynamic, from his 2025 release ‘Massive Shoe’, is firmly at the top of my sleepy time playlist. A hazy tune about messing up a situation, ‘Miffed It’ could easily be a forgotten Nick Drake gem: gentle folk that feels honest and warm. A candlelit track, for sure.
Feeling sleepy yet?
Keep your eyes peeled for more Top 10 lists, carefully curated by our music editors. What theme shall we delve into next? Find the full playlist here.
Written by Brandon Purmessur & Katie Coxall
Brandon is a music journalist in Bristol who enjoys writing as well as hosting radio shows and video interviews. Beyond music, he enjoys working with the community and learning about other cultures.
Katie is an all-round creative, specialising in music journalism for Everyday. Coming from a background of opinion-pieces and cultural essays, she strives to weave contemporary context into all of her writing.
Opinion
