Seven songs to keep you cool in a heatwave

Heady vocals: Julia Jacklin’s Pool Party proves a sultry antidote to summer heat
Rex Features
Sophie Rainbow26 June 2020

As the mercury clambers up and the sun blazes down, you might have found yourself seeking a little light refreshment as of late.

Some might reach for a cold drink, others venture out for a bracing dip.

But have you ever considered the cool balm of a wintry playlist as a means by which to soothe your sun-baked mind?

From icily crisp harmonies to imagery drenched in blue, let these seven songs provide the perfect antidote to any sweltering summer's day.

Fleet Foxes: White Winter Hymnal

Any song with the word winter in the title is almost assured a place on this list, but this seminal Fleet Foxes track truly earns its spot with sumptuous imagery and rich, swirling soundscapes. You can almost hear the crunch of snowy footprints in its careful rhythms, and a sharp, icy wind seems to blow through the band's characteristic harmonies. For that extra touch of frost, the video for this track is also a real tonic for the overheated soul.

Whitney: Friend of Mine

Listening to Whitney feels a bit like walking in the mountains, so what better way to cool off than with Friend of Mine - an unflustered song constructed of breezy vignettes, cold mornings, and clouds "hanging over the pines."

The Velvet Underground: Pale Blue Eyes

Although not explicitly wintry, coolness oozes out of this song at every turn - from Lou Reed's measured New York drawl to his airily melancholy lyrics, Pale Blue Eyes is the perfect addition to any lazy summer's day.

Julia Jacklin: Pool Party

Sultry guitar and heady vocals undercut classic summer imagery on Julia Jacklin’s Pool Party, marking it as an impressively subversive take on a typically breezy genre. Rippling with mournfulness, Jacklin’s steady swing and sparkling chorus might even leave you feeling like you’ve just been for a swim yourself.

The Beatles: Julia

Another Julia, on an almost similar theme, John Lennon’s ode to his mother is filled with starkly beautiful images of the sea. A lyrical portrait of “seashell eyes,” “windy” smiles, hair of “floating sky” and “sleeping sand,” Julia is a perfectly formed gem of a song, and will leave you feeling wrapped in layer upon layer of blue.

Michael Kiwanuka: Cold Little Heart

The graceful vocals that open Kiwanuka’s Cold Little Heart seem to linger over the song like an icy wind, held up in contrast against his characteristically rich voice elsewhere on the track. In turns doleful and cheering, this sharp offering provides the perfect counterpoint to any hazy summer afternoon.

Vampire Weekend: Spring Snow

Delicate production and Koenig’s trademark falsetto combine to create a real sense of falling snow on this deep cut from Vampire Weekend’s latest album, making it a natural and enchanting conclusion to this list.

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