Beat Tapes: The Soundtrack To Your Productivity

For those of us who don’t like to get the productivity ball rolling in silence, finding the right background music can be a struggle. Something too interesting, and somewhat of a favourite, and your attention span is quickly diverted. Something too unfamiliar, and fascination begins to peak. Something too monotonous. Snore.

Allow me to introduce you to the perfect middle ground. Ambient enough to feel like there’s a decent presence, vibey enough to be enjoyable, and most importantly, chill enough to allow for other things to happen. Important things that need to happen. 

Beat tapes – the salvation to your work boredom.

The majority of these tapes can be described as low-fi hip-hop instrumental tracks, in the same wheelhouse as OG spinner J Dilla’s oeuvre. Below are just a few of my personal faves from MVP Youtube channel, STEEZYASFUCK. 

The science behind the whole music-while-you-work mindset is actually something known as “optimal arousal”. It basically entails that when undertaking something that requires low effort, i.e. weekly uni readings, more stimulus is required. Like needing to have the TV going in the background. But when undertaking something that requires more effort, less stimulus is required, i.e. turning down the radio when you’re looking for parking, or a solid bit of shush when you’re taking a test.

Check out some tapes below. 

stzzy – lonely nights

Nymano – Short Stories

Lord Roc – Low Waves

NIKK BLVKK – Last Night

Jinsang – Solitude (Highly recommended.)