Every so often we put together a playlist built for one thing: the session.
Not background noise. Not a Spotify algorithm. Ten tracks picked because they hit a specific way when you're in the right headspace. Some volumes will be all hip-hop. Some wander. This one wanders.
Here's Volume 1.
Mac Miller — "2009"
The way this track builds, the honesty in the lyrics, the production that sounds like it's breathing — the gold standard for introspective sessions. If you haven't listened since the album dropped, go back. It's aged like everything Mac made.
Khruangbin — "Time (You and I)"
Thai funk trio from Houston. No vocals, just a bass line that locks into your spine and doesn't let go. Perfect for the first 10 minutes when everything's settling in.
SZA — "Blind"
SZA over a stripped-down guitar loop, half-singing half-talking about self-sabotage. The kind of song that makes you text someone you shouldn't — don't. Just listen.
Larry June & The Alchemist — "Palisades, CA"
Smooth, sunny, effortless. Larry June rapping about juice bars and investments over an Alchemist beat that sounds like a convertible on the Pacific Coast Highway. The contrast between this and your couch is part of the appeal.
Erykah Badu — "Didn't Cha Know"
If you know, you know. If you don't, you're about to. The centerpiece of smoke sessions since 2000 and it hasn't lost a single thing. The way the drums come in at 1:47 — yeah.
Toro y Moi — "So Many Details"
Chillwave that doesn't sound dated. Warm synths, vocal processing that's just right, and the whole thing moves at the exact pace your brain wants after a good indica.
Isaiah Rashad — "Headshots (4r Da Locals)"
Zay at his loosest. The beat switches halfway through, the flow is elastic, and the whole track feels like a late-night drive through your hometown. Rap that rewards attention.
Hiatus Kaiyote — "Breathing Underwater"
Australian neo-soul that sounds like it was recorded on another planet. Nai Palm's voice does things that shouldn't be possible. The time signatures are weird but your body doesn't care — it just moves.
Frank Ocean — "Self Control"
The second half of this song. That's it. That's the reason it's here. When the pitch-shifted vocals come in — that moment is why playlists exist.
Knxwledge — "Jstowee"
Short, perfect, a Knxwledge loop that sounds like a dusty vinyl sample left in the sun. Your closer. No vocals, no pressure, just a beat nodding its head while you stare at the ceiling.
How to listen
This playlist is meant to be played in order. The pacing is intentional — starts introspective, opens up in the middle, and winds down to a beat-driven fade. Don't shuffle it.
Headphones recommended. Speaker works if the speaker is good and the room is right.
Your picks
Got a track that belongs on Volume 2? Text it to (848) 345-1919. Best suggestions get credited. We're building this together.