Playlist: Take Me Back to the Waves

As winter settles in, here’s a playlist to remind you of the beauty and grace of the ocean.

Written by Natalie Weinberg

Photo by Natalie Weinberg

As it gets colder here in Austin, out come the hoodies and long pants. Fuzzy socks and closed-toed shoes coat feet in an attempt to protect them from the crisp and cool air.

Greeting the cold is gratifying, slowly letting go of the heat and humidity of a Texan summer. However, it’s inevitable to sometimes long for an escape to where the heat becomes a place of comfort and warmth. The ocean: where the warm sand tingles toes and the water serves as refreshment. Many of us can’t just hop on a flight to Orlando or San Diego to marvel at the wonder that is the ocean, so music can remind us of our love for the waves.

The intro to Salvador Sobral’s “Cerca del mar” (translated from Spanish as “near the ocean”), brings a warm beach off the Californian coast to Central Texas; the waves crashing against the rocky shores, splashing and letting the sand caress one’s toes. Patrick Watson’s “The Wave” and Natalie LaFourcade’s “Alfonsina y El Mar” (“Alfonsina and the Ocean”) are reminders of the tranquility that comes with sitting on the beach and just listening to the sound of the waves. The waves, the ebb and flow of water surface with Tim Buckley’s personification of the ocean in “Song to the Siren,” creating beautiful imagery of the sea as a lover whom he longs to embrace. The list finishes with a Bobby Darin classic. “Beyond the Sea,” is the last song on the list, with a groove bound to inspire Googling pictures of the ocean.

So, close your eyes, and immerse yourself in the warmth and solace of the ocean.