A Chill Summer Day With Nothing To Do: Windows Open, Incense Lit

A 70-song playlist of my favorite soul, neo-soul and R&B chill tracks.

A few weeks ago, my friend texted me asking for “a soulful playlist” to soundtrack her morning routine: specifically the part where she “lights incense and gets ready for the day.” Not long after, a reader wrote in asking for “a chill day with the windows open, incense lit and nothing to do” kind of playlist. So I decided to combine the two ideas and make something that feels like both: soulful, chill, and summery in a way that makes you want to slow down and relax.

I used to live in a big old colonial house in Amherst, Massachusetts with these massive, heavy windows that had probably been painted over a hundred times since the ’70s. The type of windows you had to wrestle open, but once they were up, the whole house felt like being outside. It was like the house and I were both exhaling. On days when I had nothing to do, I’d light a candle, put on music, and float between the porch and the living room, letting the day just stretch out in front of me.

That’s the exact feeling I tried to channel here. It’s four-and-a-half hours of good vibes.

"Sweet Thing" - Rufus, Chaka Khan (1975)
Spotify | Apple | YouTube Music | TIDAL

"Self" - Cleo Sol
Spotify | Apple | YouTube Music | TIDAL (2023)
The bass on this is NASTY WORK!!!!!

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