Sonic Coolants: High-Humidity Music

Written By Kensedeobong Okosun

Songs enliven! Songs charge and warm the environment! Songs sadden! Songs refresh!

I have noted elsewhere that certain songs embody a crispy vibration which can literally dissipate any signs of perspiration and invigorate the environment. They can be likened to a cool breeze coming through the doors and windows of a house, particularly enjoyable in the tropics or summer months, depending on the location of one’s habitation.

I call them “sonic coolants”, and sonic refers to anything relating to sound. While a song comprises of sound and vocalized lyrics, the magic of sonic coolants emanate from the tempo of the sound instrument.

The following is a playlist of sonic coolants:

  1. Aaliyah. "Never Givin' Up" One in a Million (1996).

  2. Aaron Neville. "Everybody Plays the Fool" Warm Your Heart (1991).

  3. Angélique Kidjo. "Welcome" Fifa (1996).

  4. Anthony Hamilton. "Pray for Me" Back to Love (2011).

  5. Aretha Franklin. "Every Lil' Bit Hurts" A Rose is still a Rose (1998).

  6. Barry White. "Whatever We Had, We Had" The Icon is Love (1994).

  7. Bebe & Cece Winans. "Stay With Me" Relationships (1994).

  8. Bill Withers. "Lovely Day" Menagerie (1977).

  9. Blackstreet. "Joy" Blackstreet (1994).

  10. Boyz II Men. "50 Candles" II (1994).

  11. Brandy. "Put That on Everything" Never Say Never (1998).

  12. Brian McKnight. "Stay or Let It Go" Back at One (1999).

  13. Carl Thomas. "Emotional" Emotional (2000).

  14. Chaka Khan. "Angel" Funk This (2007).

  15. Commodores. "United In Love" United (1986).

  16. Color Me Badd. "The Earth, The Sun, The Rain" Now and Forever (1996).

  17. Destiny’s Child. "Second Nature" Destiny’s Child (1998).

  18. Donell Jones."Think About It" Where I Wanna Be (1999).

  19. Dru Hill. "What Do I Do With The Love" Enter The Dru (1998).

  20. Faith Evans. "Soon As I Get Home" Faith (1995).

  21. Gerald & Eddie Levert, Sr. "Already Missing You" Father and Son (1995).

  22. India Arie. "Nature" Acoustic Soul (2001).

  23. Jamie Cullum. "At Sea" Twentysomething (2003).

  24. Janet Jackson. "I Get Lonely" Velvet Rope (1997).

  25. Jonathan Butler. "Sing Me Your Love Song" The Best of Jonathan Butler (1993).

  26. Juice Newton. "Angel of the Morning" Juice (1981).

[DISCLAIMER: None of the music content on this page belongs to me. They are merely reference points which evoke nostalgia and serve the purpose of entertainment and awareness creation, only]

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Kensedeobong Okosun

Kensedeobong Okosun (M.A Bielefeld University) is a music enthusiast, music researcher, music journalist, vocalist and an author. Her academic article “Sisterhood and Soul Music as expressions of Black Power” is featured in the edited volume, Black Power in Hemispheric Perspective (Raussert & Steinitz, eds, 2022). She has reviewed Dorothea Gail’s Weird American Music (2019). Her article on Nigerian music has also been published on Nigeria’s news daily, The Sun Newsonline.

Kensedeobong’s blog highlights music’s interconnectivity with society and comprises personal music experiences, researched information, concept playlists for multiple themes, etc.

A hard-core 90s R&B fan, she utilises the vehicle of memory, to position long forgotten music of yesteryears on the front-burner.

She is persuaded that music is a core conduit of collective harmony, equanimity, vitality and healing. And as such requires criticality in the filtration process, in order to disseminate meaning. Her blog promotes music equality and diversity.

She resides in Germany.

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