From Ryuichi Sakamoto to Ahmed Malek: Lose yourself in our ambient #stayhome playlist

Featuring seminal works by Brian Eno and John Cage, as well as Flying Lotus's spin on the dreamy genre

American experimental composer John Cage was a big fan of Erik Satie's work. Alamy

Staying home all day can feel draining, we get that.

Your sphere of existence contracts to the few square metres of your home and you feel a bit restless, craving space to yourself and some room to think.

We took that into consideration as we curated our second #stayhome playlist, which comes as part of The National's efforts to encourage people to stay indoors to help stop the spread of the coronavirus.

This week’s playlist is all about ambient music.

Brian Eno, who coined the term "ambient music" when he released Ambient I: Music For Airports in 1978, defined the genre as "ignorable as it was interesting".

Ambient music is perfect whether you want to actively listen to it – spotting changes in the textural synths or how layered recordings affect each other – or let it fuel your daydreams as you stare out your window.

The playlist includes some seminal works by Eno, William Basinski and John Cage. It also dives into the ambient compositions of artists who are more renowned for other things, but have put their spin on the dreamy genre, such as experimental hip-hop producer Flying Lotus and the electronic tapes of Algerian composer Ahmed Malek.

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Read more:

Five TikTok dances to learn while you're at home in self-isolation

How to look after your mental health when staying indoors

35 apps and services you can now download for next to nothing

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