Desert Playlist

I just got back from my long weekend in Joshua Tree. Without sounding extremely cheesy, it was hands down one of the most important trips of my life, in many ways. There were a few points where there was absolutely no music on what so ever, to listen to strictly the silence surrounding us.. but for the other big chunk of time, it required the right playlist! Music can change the mood of a situation in massive ways. So here are some albums and songs we drove around to and also played on our bluetooth speaker while we got weird and wandered around the desert at 2am. So put the rubber fist down, hit pause on your Netflix, and read these words I typed out.

Alessandro Cortini: Risveglio

 This was an album that we listened to the most while walking around the desert in the middle of the night. The song "La Sveglia" seemed to make the already gorgeous and massive sky seem to open up more. It made my already wandering eyes and brain wander a little bit further. I had it on loop at a few points and veered away from Tony to explore on my own with this song on. Simply put, this song was made for getting weird in the desert, and that is exactly what I did.

Queens of the Stone Age- Self Titled

This was an album we listened to a lot on the drive to the desert from Los Angeles. It only made sense seeing that it's not only one of my favorite albums, but that the album was made in the area we were traveling to. It was really powerful hearing this while driving on the same roads the guys in the band did. A heavy, catchy album that makes you wiggle your hips while driving. It was a bummer listening to it on the rental car's stereo because it had the speakers made it sound like we were listening to it on a tiny speaker underwater.

Stars of the Lid: The Tired Sounds of  
This was one I listened to at the height of our desert wandering. This is a band I listen to quite frequently on my own, especially when I paint. It's definitely not something you toss on in a car full of people when you're leaving the bar. If you aren't familiar with Stars of the Lid, I highly suggest you check them out. It's very minimal tones and soft sounds that instantly put me in an almost meditative state. Perfect for desert walks. 

Talking Heads: Entire Discography
Anyone who says they don't like the Talking Heads is a liar, or a really stupid asshole. They're catchy as fuck and just have such a fun vibe to them. Who doesn't like fun? I typically listen to them while I'm at work, but it worked perfectly for the desert. We didn't listen to this album specifically, but I didn't feel like posting four different album covers for one band. It was a good break from the long, drawn out instrumental albums we were listening to. 

Skinny Puppy: Too Dark Park

This is my go to when it comes to any time I get weird, so it was a given that it would have to be played while in the desert doing the same thing. I just recently made a huge ranting post about Skinny Puppy in a previous post, so I will refrain from repeating myself. Basically, this album is perfect to me. It provokes a different emotion for me upon every listen because of how many layers there are to each track. At points, this was actually a little unbearable to listen to. We were near Palm 29 Marine base where we would hear actual bombs going off that would shake the entire ground. It wasn't until the next morning that we were told of the base being near by. Our mindset, this music, and the complete isolation of the desert made for an overall strange, uncomfortable, yet amazing time.


Music can make a sad night sadder, a happy night happier, it can boost your road rage to new levels, it can calm you down after a long day, and so on. These albums made an incredible trip even more incredible..er. Eh, you get what I'm saying.

...k bye.


-Novak