Most of us are working at home and even those still going to work can all use some good tunes to help soothe, engage and transport us while we daydream about new adventures in the hopefully not too distant future. As most visitors here are interested in Aquapacs and may even be considering buying a phone or multi-purpose case, here are some musical recommendations for all lovers of the sea, water, mountains and the great outdoors. You’ll find these tunes on Spotify or Apple Music, with the BBC Sounds app a great resource.

You can set off on your musical travels with Morcheeba’s The Sea. Play it loud or on headphones. You’re seamlessly back out on the ocean floating along. Remembering trips of days gone by or, it may prompt you to make a list of places to visit. And while you’re there add an Aquapac camera case to things you might want for your next journey after the virus clears and our vaccines kick in.

Dip into Enya’s Orinoco Flow, a gentle and melodic song as you could ask. Take your pick of Dolly Parton’s music as it is often inspired by her roots in the Blue Ridge mountains of Tennessee. Marvin Gaye’s Ain’t No Mountain High Enough will get you out of bed. Ike & Tina Turner’s epic River Deep – Mountain High or the very cool and chilled Misty Mountain Hop by Led Zeppelin might push into a dance or certainly provoke some body movements. Or put on Kate Bush’s King of the Mountain, it’s a slow burner that erupts into life. And then one of my favourites, the Cure’s A Forest. What a banger!

Fancy a dance? Well I’m sure you’ve got all your own classics. I can get away with suggesting Untitled (Rise) by Sault. R’n’b, disco and house all rolled into one album. As it has no name we can give it whatever name we want. It’s always good to try something new, especially now. Talking of new: the Aquapac dock system will enable you to take your phone mountain biking or pretty much anywhere. You can use your bluetooth earphones or earbuds through an Aquapac case when walking around. 

 

If you like, or, are giving Jazz a try , Thelonius Monk’s Palo Alto will liven you up on the dullest winter day. Recorded in 1968 it mixes wizard piano playing, some delightful sax and drums. Described as a masterpiece by Jazz aficionados, you won’t even mind being trapped indoors listening to this. Note to self: remember to pack a tablet in an Aquapac case next summer and connect this to a waterproof speaker.

 

Something Classical? Dvorak’s New World Symphony is a collection of extraordinary evocative music where you can find yourself imagining how the pioneers discovered the Wild West.  As you listen you can see the buffalo roaming on the plains and then you’re thrown into a charmed calm of restful green valleys. Some of you may recognise the music they used on a Hovis ad from a while back. Sit back and enjoy the scenery. Maybe the Rockies, Alps or Pyrenees are on your travel wish list. There is always Vaughan Williams' The Lark Ascending, Beethoven's sixth symphony, the Pastoral  and Vivaldi's Four Seasons to remind us of the beauties of nature. And perhaps after listening to any of these, how about that new Aquapac lightweight backpack, the 774? A shameless plug I know but hey maybe you’ve got time on your hands to check it out.

 

Now Ambient music is a whole genre of its own of course and Brian Eno is one of its major exponents. Eno has managed Bowie, U2 and Coldplay but he’s written some of the most mellow atmospheric music you’ll ever hear. Another Green World is a perfect example. The BBC used one track as the theme music to the Arena documentary series. Eno will take you pretty much anywhere. He wrote one album Apollo inspired by NASA's missions that sounds like cowboys floating in space. Did you know we at Aquapac supply some of our cases to one of the Space programmes? Well no, you wouldn’t because we’re not allowed to tell which space project but Aquapacs certainly get around. Especially our two-way radio cases which have been sold to over 70 countries worldwide to help keep communications flowing in the harshest conditions for over 35 years. Oh and Eno's Music for Films has a compilation of cinematic sounds which are compelling. Another interesting fact, we've supplied Film and TV companies for decades with our radio mic cases. Used on Titanic, Baywatch and a literally hundreds of nature programmes by sound engineers to keep their microphones dry all over the world. 

 

Want to mix it up? BBC Sounds has a portfolio of old Desert Islands Discs programmes. Listening to people’s lives intertwined with their favourite eight tunes is often a pleasure. Usually they are interesting guests who have led fascinating lives peppered with unusual and sometimes moving anecdotes.

 

Moby’s God Moving over the Face of the Waters is a beautifully pleasurable experience. You could be floating under water with this one quite easily.

 

Struggling to sleep at night. Well, I bet you haven’t listened to Dave Brubeck’s Lullabies. Recorded when he was in his 90s its packed with childhood favourites as well as dreamy numbers.

 

Covid is tough but most of us have plenty to be grateful for and we hope later in 2021 you’ll be able to enjoy more adventures near home or around the world. In the meantime, I hope some or all of this musical excellence will help you enjoy and enhance your lockdown experience. And if you’ve got any ideas you want to share with Aquapac…contact@aquapac.net.