Hilary Woods Takes Care Of Our ‘Dark Night Playlist’ And Things Are Getting Gloomy

Photo by Joshua Wright

Considering the sound of the Irish songwriter often feels like a journey into the heart of darkness it makes sense that shares some of her personal dark favourites of us. Expect over three hours of gloomy vibes with songs by Grouper, Amen Dunes, Throbbing Gristle, Jenny Hval, Low and other quite fascinating picks. Perfect soundtrack for the nightly hours of self isolation.

31/03/2020
by NBHAP News Team

There’s something quite magical and fulfilling in listening to music at night, right? Some tunes can unfold their effect even better when experienced in darkness at a time most of the world is asleep and that’s something we really wanted to achieve with our Dark Night Playlist on Spotify. But this effect can get even better when you get a true expert on board so we’re more than happy to welcome Irish songwriter Hilary Woods as curator for our playlist. Her music is haunting nocturnal bliss for all fans of sinister sound and if you’re not familar with it yet we can highly recommend 2018’s album Colt and its freshly released follow-up Birthmarks. This new album takes her gloomy sound into even more adventurous territory and it’s no surprise that the over three hours of music she compiled for us heads for a similar direction.

You might know a few artists here like Grouper, Amen Dunes and the mighty Low but Hilary Woods is eager to also add more unknown and obscure music to this challenging selection which really spices up things. I mean, there’s also a Hildegard Von Bingen piece in here. Here’s what the artist got to say about her choices:

“There is a certain quality and intimacy in the act of experiencing music at night. When aspects of identity and performative ways in which to deal with the outside world fall away and one is left to an interiority made safe under a cover of darkness that shields from the watchfulness of daylight.

The following selection of songs are in someway nocturnal only because for me, there is a particular receptivity I experience to the lyrics when I listen to some of them at night, or the nighttime somehow acts as a catalyst and allows for their spellbinding trance-like qualities to emerge. Some of these songs induce a dusky dream like state, others encourage escapism, whilst some entice reflection and exhalation upon a day already having being done.”

Please note that Hilary Woods’ selection was only available for a limited amount of time and has now merged with our very own selection of sinister songs, creaing an even longer version of the Dark Night Playlist. Get on board, hit the ‘Follow’ button, enjoy the trip into the heart of darkness.