Ten Songs For Insomniacs
Image: Al Parkinson.
Melbourne four-piece Four In The Morning have just unveiled their superb new EP, Stress Dreams. To celebrate the release, the band have curated an exclusive playlist for MILKY, made specially for all those night owls out there. Alongside the playlist, the four-piece are here to get you through the night, offering up and hour-by-hour guide soundtracked by the playlist.
12am – Should Have Known Better by Sufjan Stevens
You’re in bed. Maybe sleep will come. Maybe it won’t. You settle down and let your brain drift away. Thoughts and memories dance on the inside of your skull. Haunting, beautiful, and dreamlike.
1am – Inner Bloom by Rüfüs Du Sol
However much you will it, sleep will not come. Instead, you get the foolish notion that if you can’t settle down, you may as well amp up. There’s no better song to dance to in your living room as the neighbours complain.
2am – Everything In Its Right Place by Radiohead
You’re either alone falling into your headphones or coalesced around the speakers with the freaks and the night owls. Everything else falls away and for a moment everything does feel perfect. Until the tension creeps back in.
3am – Baby Tiger by Maple Glider
You cling to the idea that maybe your mind is fine. But the only thing going through your head is what you should have said instead of whatever came out of your mouth. The cat is awake listening to lullabies. You sit and join them as they enjoy one of the best Aussie releases of the year so far.
4am – Famous Blue Raincoat by Leonard Cohen
The only good thing to do at 4am is write. Write songs, letters, poems, notes, lists, words. Write for no other reason than you can’t sleep. As you do, you listen to the song’s murky blues in the hope that the genius of its perfect last line wears off on you.
5am – European Son by The Velvet Underground
The writing hasn’t worked. You’re still awake. Your eyes hurt. Your synapses are pissed that they’re not dreaming.
6am – Treasure by Aldous Harding
Finally dozing off, unsure of what’s a thought and what’s a dream. It all swirls around your brain until something snatches your focus and you know you’re not going to sleep — even with Aldous Harding singing beautifully in your ear.
7am – I’m Only Sleeping by The Beatles
The lucky bastards who’ve slept well are starting to wake up. They noisily get ready for work. The sun is too bright and noises are too loud. You pull the covers over your head and decide to live in bed forever.
8am – Lippy Kids by Elbow
The sun shines through your blinds and you realise you’ve barely slept. It’s already tomorrow. You get up and go for a walk amongst the joggers, school kids and productive people. You listen to the whistles and the birds and embrace the feeling that reality isn’t quite real.
9am – 9 to 5 by Dolly Parton
The day starts all over again. You go to work, you get paid, and you pray to some higher power for a good night's sleep come the end of the day.
Listen to Stress Dreams below!