Lockdown playlists for every mood, part one: chosen by Jarvis Cocker, Haim and Lianne La Havas
Jarvis Cocker’s uplifting playlist … for raising the spirits
Cocker and his partner, Kim, have been keeping their spirits up during lockdown by doing domestic discos on Instagram Live. “You’ve got to go for the uplifting music, haven’t you?”, Cocker says from his home outside Sheffield. “The world’s on pause, after all. It’s time to remind yourself you’re lucky to be here.”
Cocker has been encouraged by how people have reached out to each other since the pandemic hit. “After all, we were voluntarily self-isolating before this, weren’t we? Ordering our Deliveroos and watching our Netflix. Now we’re in this unfamiliar psychic realm, lots of us want to talk and dance together.” Cocker also needs to uplift himself. He misses his son Albert, 17, who’s in Paris with Cocker’s ex-wife, Camille Bidault-Waddington. “I haven’t seen him properly for two months, and goodness knows when I will next, or when I’ll be able to hug him. It’s strange, that.”
Feelgood music allows us to escape entirely for a few hours, he says. “We’re stuck in our heads now more than ever, but put on uplifting songs and get lost in them, and it’s like you’ve exorcised something.”
Jarvis Cocker’s uplifting tracks
The TymesAre You Lookin’?I got this from my stepdad, who used to work in local radio, a while ago. The lyric “If it rains on you / It rains on me” feels fitting right now, and the tune is fantastic.
Horace AndyCus CusI got this in a Lake District junk shop at Christmas. It picks my spirits up when I’m doing my exercises with my pilates ring.
Althea and DonnaUptown Top RankingThis was big when I was a kid. It’s an effortless feelgood track.
Spacemen 3Big City (Everybody I Know Can Be Found Here)This got loads of people excited in one of our first domestic discos.
StereolabWe’re Not Adult-OrientatedSuch an underrated band, and there’s a brilliant Krautrock energy to this.
The War on DrugsUnder the PressureI love the breakdown in the middle that’s a bit like a rave track.
The B-52’sDance This Mess AroundI’d forgotten how brilliant the B-52’s were.
Will PowersDancing for Mental
HealthThis is from an early 80s selfhelp record, set to electronic music, obviously.
Mr OizoFlat Beat (Radio Edit)Such a weird pop record, not really a pop record at all, just a brilliant, stark, wobbly bassline. We have a Flat Eric toy that comes to our discos sometimes.
Meditation Tunnel Glittering Jewel (10)One of many songs I’ve found on Instagram during lockdown, which has been great. This is by Luke Jennings, who used to be in The Rapture.
FaithlessInsomnia (Monster Radio Edit)I had insomnia at the start of lockdown. This helped. It’s nicely intense, as you’d expect from a song that includes the lyric “tearing off tights with your teeth”.
Marshall JeffersonMove Your BodyObviously [because it’s] a fantastic house track, and because Marshall’s a really nice bloke.
Rose City BandRivers of MindThis is by Ripley from Wooden Shjips, which mutates into a nice mid-70s boogie.
Kid LocoLove Me SweetThis has Katrina from [Scottish indie group) the Pastels singing, with a great, insistent rhythm behind it.The Beach BoysHere Comes the NightFrom their late-70s album, LA (LightAlbum). It’s all vocoders and disco, and sounds like Daft Punk.
* * * Haim’s shimmying playlist… for the weekly kitchen disco
Despite living “a stone’s throw away” from each other in Silver Lake, Los Angeles, the three sisters that make up Haim haven’t seen each other since 13 March, the longest time they’ve ever been apart, says bassist Este. “And it was a day before my birthday,” she adds, mock-mournfully. To cheer them all up, Este’s been encouraging them to do as much dancing as possible. “I’m on my balcony at 9am doing it. I’m the rooster of the neighbourhood! Sorry everyone.”
The sisters have also been making playlists when they’re in the mood to shimmy, Este says – but this doesn’t come without it tensions. “We’re all so competitive about our music taste. It’s ridiculous. We’re all trying to search for the ultimate sad banger all the time.” Activating a shimmying mood has also had more sensible benefits for Este, she says. Letting off energy has been helping her sleep: as a Type 1 diabetic, she’s been at pains to be extra-sensible during the pandemic. She’s found it “really hard” not seeing her family. “But sharing music helps us be together.”
Haim’s shimmying tracks
Donna SummerBad GirlsEste: Here we go: disco! The way Donna emotes! She’s a favourite of our mom’s.
AaliyahTry AgainDanielle, Alana and I would watch this video on TMZ, and be, wow, look at her makeup, her moves. Plus I’m obsessed with Timbaland’s production, and this is his most major.
RosalíaA PaléBasically because we have a massive crush on Rosalía.
Kelis MilkshakeYou can’t have a shimmying playlist without a song that’s literally about shaking your upper body.
Anita WardRing My BellThis used to be the group skate song at a roller rink in LA we used to go called Moonlight Fever.
Destiny’s ChildJumpin’ Jumpin’Still a classic.
Missy ElliottGet Ur Freak OnMy sisters and I always do the call and response part to this.
Deee-LiteGroove Is in the HeartDanielle sent this to us about a month ago and I couldn’t believe I’d forgotten it.
Crystal Waters100% Pure LoveWe’d always do warm-ups to this song at our after-school dance class.
Ace of BaseAll That She WantsThis is the best fun to sing on a dancefloor.
Talking HeadsLife During Wartime (Live)Because Tina Weymouth is the greatest bassist ever and if I met her in real life I’d turn into a hologram.
Thelma HoustonDon’t Leave Me This WayOur parents were proper disco dancers. Mum has taught me the turns to this.
New OrderBizarre Love TriangleWe’re such 80s babies, and Gillian Gilbert’s synth line is so sonically cool, catchy and simple.
SelenaBidi Bidi Bom BomWe used to play as a family band with our parents when we were kids, and Dad only listened to Spanish music, so this is for him.
Kylie MinogueSpinning AroundSomething we all first heard on a family holiday to New Jersey in my early teens. I tried to run away to dance to it. It still gives me that feeling.
* * * Lianne La Havas’s angry playlist… For when you need to vent
Lianne La Havas’s father is a key worker – a bus driver – so she’s constantly trying to keep her spirits up undocer lockdown in London. “I’m grateful my family are doing OK at the moment,” she says, “but I’ve got the kind of mind that’s always occupied, that always need to find some space to relax.” As well as preparing for the July release of her self-titled new album, she’s been listening to music for longer during lockdown, and enjoying unexpected new releases popping up. She’s especially loved the new Laura Marling album (“it’s so gorgeous – she’s always been one of my favourite artists”) and songs by Nick Hakim (“listen to him right now, everyone, please – he’s a genius”).
But the music she’s gravitating towards more than most is stuff that’s great if you feel you need to vent. “Angry music always helps me relax – it fills me with adrenaline, and gets me excited and hyped, which I love. It’s also good to let off steam every now and then, isn’t it? I find that’s especially true now. Plus songs can help you do that without anyone else getting in the way!”
Lianne La Havas’s angry tracks
KelisCaught Out ThereSo literal and in your face. What a debut!
Roots Manuva Witness (1 Hope) There’s lots of angry lines in this, but I love Roots’s hybrid London accent and rapping style – plus the sounds are so fantastic and squelchy.
Dizzee RascalFix Up, Look SharpAnother track that basically shows how much I love deep, loud, aggressive beats and shouting.
Jay-Z99 ProblemsThis really gets my blood pumping: that heavy beat, that minimal, raging vocal.
Erykah BaduTyroneThis captures that catty, covert anger you feel when your partner’s done something that you want to give the side-eye.
Tom WaitsHoist That RagThis recording in itself sounds wonky and angry, like it’s been chucked down the stairs.
Childish GambinoThis Is AmericaSuch a brilliant song about injustice, set in such sonically deep music.
Bob Dylan The Lonesome Death of Hattie CarrollAn artist getting angry about something and interpreting it so poetically. You need to listen closely to the lyrics to hear Dylan’s rage.
Tempa TNext HypeA great angry song to run to that increases my heart rate by about 1,000%.
Aphex TwinOrban Eq Trx 4One of my all-time favourites. It’s full of obnoxious sounds that somehow make something beautiful.
Martha WainwrightBloody Mother Fucking AssholeThis gets the aggression out for you when you can’t do it yourself.
Nina SimoneFunkier Than a Mosquito’s TweeterNina had lots of furious moments in her career but she always stood her ground.
Hudson MohawkeThunder BayThis is me hood up in the club, elbows out, being totally antisocial. Get out of my way!
Dan Le Sac v Scroobius PipThou Shall Always KillThe first time I heard this I agreed with every lyric!
Betty DavisAnti-Love SongI love things that are sickeningly funky like this when I’m angry.
Notorious BIGMachine Gun FunkThe angriest rapper that ever was, coming off the back of a dream-like sample. “So you wanna be hardcore?” Yes, Biggie, I do!