Josephine Angelini’s Official DREAMLESS Playlist
Just a warning: I have always listened to obscure music. I remember once in middle school I made some of my friends listen to the song “Troy” by a then unknown artist named Sinéad O’Connor. It didn’t go over very well. A few years later everyone loved “Nothing Compares 2 U,” but they all still thought my taste in music was odd because by then I had moved on to the album Pretty Hate Machine by Nine Inch Nails. That album frightened all but the angriest and bravest of my pals.
I was always one step out of step when it came to music, but I’ve never regretted it. True story—the same night that I went to the R.E.M. Green concert with my big sister Mary Francis and three of my fringe friends, pretty much every other girl from my school went to see New Kids on the Block. I definitely don’t regret that decision.
Looking back on it, giving Sinéad O’Connor to eleven-years-olds and Nine Inch Nails to eighth graders was a bit aggressive, and I don’t blame most of my peers for running scared whenever I wanted to play something for them. I promise I won’t take it personally if you think my taste is strange, but just remember—for every ten friends who thought that The Cure and Björk were for weirdos, I had at least one friend who fell in love with something new. Maybe you will too.
1. “Skttrbrain” (Four Tet Remix) by Radiohead: The halting rhythm of this song, plus the creepy almost disjointed quality of the melody matches my impression of the Underworld. That, coupled with the idea that Helen is getting more and more scatterbrained, makes me think of the first few scenes of Dreamless. This song actually scares me. It’s super unsettling—like a nightmare.
2. “Wash.” by Bon Iver: I listened to this album, and the album For Emma, Forever Ago, on repeat while I was writing this past year, so pretty much any song off those two albums will always remind me of both Dreamless and Goddess. I chose “Wash.” for this mix because the wintry quality of this song reminds me of the ice crystals forming in Helen’s bedroom. Also, there is a haunting sadness to this song that isn’t quite in-your-face mourning but more like a constant sense of loss. I tried to keep that feeling in mind while I was writing Dreamless.
3. “Upward Over the Mountain” by Iron and Wine: This song makes me cry—the lyrics are just incredible. Everything about this song, from the quiet, quavering vocals to the overwhelming imagery reminds me of innocence lost. It’s a far better example of the rift that grows between Lucas and his family than I was able to create in my story.
4. “Aerial Boundaries” by Michael Hedges: This song reminds me of Helen floating on the edge of space. Not to blow your mind or anything when you listen to it, but just remember that you’re listening to one guy playing one guitar. I think Michael Hedges must have been a Son of Apollo to pull that off. Either that or he had three hands.
5. “Typical” by In Praise of Folly: I can just picture Lucas listening to this. He doesn’t usually listen to much “sad boy” music, but he’s been having a tough time lately.
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6. “The Clock” (Surgeon Remix) by Thom Yorke: This frenetic little ditty reminds me of when Helen and Orion are running through the bone-yard in the Underworld. The lyrics are pretty apropos to boot. I actually got the idea for the wishing wells in the shadow lands from a line in this song.
7. “Bloodbuzz, Ohio” by The National: The lyrics in this song remind me of Orion and his feelings about home. Also, the word “bloodbuzz” is something that comes to mind every now and again when I’m trying to describe what it feels like to taken over by the Furies, so the title of this song makes me think of Helen and Orion’s encounter in the cave.
8. “Sweet Disposition” by The Temper Trap: Speaking of Orion, I think “sweet disposition” is a good way to describe him. That, and this song has that giddy I-think-I’m-falling-for-you feeling to it.
9. “Every Breath You Take” by The Police: I had to get a Police song on this list somehow because I stole the term “invisible sun” from them to describe Lucas. Apart from that, this song is all Lucas. Ah, obsession. It just goes to show some things really are universal, whether they were written today, or in the eighties, or thousands of years ago.
10. “Love Will Tear Us Apart” by Joy Division: I think the title says it all.
Josie’s Quick Picks!
Dreamless is a dark book, so there ended up being a lot of sad and/or creepy songs on my list. But I don’t want it to be all doom and gloom. Here are five sad songs you can dance to (except the last one)! They all apply to my book in one way or another. Some of them are Helen, some are Lucas, some Orion.
11. “Keep You” by Class Actress 12. “All of Me” by Tanlines 13. “Not in Love” by Crystal Castles (featuring Robert Smith) 14. “I’m Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How to Dance with You” by Black Kids 15. “Close to Me” by Elk City (Remake of The Cure song; on the Just Like Heaven album)
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