Playlist edition. Sort of.
5. Peter Sandberg – Spotify artist page
I found Peter Sandberg on the Dislyte XHz Official OST playlist. More on that in a moment. His moody, nostalgic vibes mixed with jazz fusion soul was exactly what my heart needed, I just didn’t know it. Naturally this lead into me diving into his entire work on Spotify. But just a word of caution: best listened to when you’re already feeling a bit melancholy or wanting to lean into your bad day a bit more.
4. DJ KABOO
Another one discovered on a playlist (do you sense the theme yet?), I found DJ KABOO by way of the Moon Knight Soundtrack. Lots of good Arab music on the soundtrack, but this artist stood out for his arab trap sound, which I really dig. I have always enjoyed Arabian and Middle Eastern music, especially modern music that mixes in the traditional influences.
3. Septicflesh – Communion
Discovered on an Egyptian metal playlist, Septicflesh is actually a Grecian metal band. The album in question though has lots of Ancient Egyptian references, including a song about about my favorite god–Anubis, the god of funerary services and embalming. They rock pretty hard, too, along with their songs’ cool imagery and sense of ceremony.
2. Dislyte XHz Official OST
So, I’m currently obsessed with the turn-based, gacha game Dislyte. It uses urban mythology characters from many different cultures as its central heroes (Anubis is their flagship character, which is what caught my eye). Not only are the artwork and characters visually appealing, but the music is captivating and infectious. Generally, the songs are EDM/hip-hop–the type of songs you might hear to hype you up before an event or while at a club. The soundtrack doesn’t make me want to go out and party, but it does make me want to play more Dislyte. COINCIDENCE?
1. Genshin Impact OST
I’m way late to the party, but I finally gave Genshin (another gacha game) a shot and fell in love with the soundtrack nearly instantly. It’s at times whimsical and cute, other times warm and inviting. Sometimes all of these things at once. It makes me feel cozy and happy inside. It surpasses being simply “chill” or “relaxing” and completely transforms my mood, like a drug. There aren’t many songs out there that can elicit total, pure, wholesome happiness from me–especially without lyrics. But whatever magic they infused this soundtrack with, it’s worth listening to over and over.
Music Morphine 