Welcome to a new year of college. Welcome to a new year of work and many ‘exciting’ hours of studying. What’s better than listening to music while studying? It doesn’t take our attention completely, it’s enjoyable, soothing and takes the edge off our workload. So what’s good for some down-tempo easy listening?

Moby: We love Moby. You know “Extreme Ways” at the end of The Bourne Series? What’s not to love about it? He’s rock, dance, electronica and techno all in one. He has a career spanning over 20 years with enough variation for everyone. Plus, none of his work overwhelms the listener. Key albums include ’18’, ‘ Play’ and ‘Animal Rights.’ On the way, ‘Wait for Me’ will be his eighth studio album.

Thievery Corporation: The great aspect of TC is you can listen to them anytime, anywhere. Described as “down tempo trip hop” the duo DJ’s have collaborated many times over their14-year career incorporating forms of acid jazz, reggae, Indian, Middle Eastern and Brazilian music. ‘The Cosmic Game’ and ‘The Richest Man in Babylon’ are notable. With nearly three dozen single EP’s and compilations, their trippy, low-key style beats let the mind concentrate.

Sigur Rós: The four players of the band have, since 1994, entertained the world with their avant-garde sound straight from Reykjavík, Iceland. It’s rock, it’s symphony, it’s completely surreal and addicting, but does not convolute the ears either. Sigur Rós also sounds unintelligible (that ’cause it is). The language the band incorporates in their music is called Volenska, an unintelligible language that lacks syntax, grammar and word meaning. Even with the incredible guitar and piano voices it’s worth a dabble.

Radiohead: If you have been living under a rock for the past 10 years and don’t know anything about Radiohead then it would be a good time to learn. Hailing from England, Radiohead went beyond the ‘typical’ rock persona and introduced a number of styles including jazz, experimental and electronic rock. Their first two albums, ‘Pablo Honey’ and ‘The Bends’ are rock voices, but as their style evolved with ‘OK Computer’ and ‘Kid A,’ the band became increasingly experimental and more mainstream. Their last studio album, ‘In Rainbows,’ is incredibly enjoyable and I highly recommend it.

Since each artist has a plethora of content you’re sure to find something to enjoy. With that said, enjoy your work a little more. Cheers.