If I was a shoe...

This track has been my favourite song for ages now and even though it isn't a free download I just have to post it. At 87bpm it's actually just a little on the slow side for running, but if you're like me and run better in the 90-95bpm range you could buy the mp3 you can up the tempo using Audacity (see the post Take Control of the BPM to see how). Or maybe the 87bpm will work for you. No matter what it has a super strong beat. So the track is Wenn ich ein Turnschuh waere by Die Goldenen Zitronen. I love everything about it, the music, the voice, the lyrics. For non German speakers he is singing about someone in Turkey trying to get in the the European Union who realises that he would have an easy time, be considered something of value, if he was a sports shoe (or a flat screen TV) rather than a human being. Certainly adds a new angle to the barefoot running debate! There is a sort of desperate sound to this song that goes so well with the story, and the story sums up so much with what is wrong with the world. After hearing this I became a huge Goldenen Zitronen fan. Die Goldenen Zitronen are officially punk, but this track is not really, well not too easy to put in a genre, experimental punk? Decide for yourselves.

Every Day is Lighter

It is getting lighter for us folks in the northern hemisphere, but where I am there is still no vitamin-D forming strength sunlight.  2 years ago almost to this very day I got a stress fracture and I don't know if winter and vitamin-D has anything to do with it, but if you do live somewhere dark, and run, well it might be time think about taking a supplement. Actually since the fracture I take a calcium-magnesium-zinc supplement, and vitamin K2, plus I got tested for vitamin-D and was very low, so I take these mega doses of that once a month. 

So now for the music after last month's list of hardcore tracks (Forever Punk) I have swung the other way, the following 6 tracks all have a strong pop influence.  All tracks are available on the amazing music site Epitonic.  Click on the song to download.  The band name links to the Epitonic page for the band. 

Shapeshifter (Epitonic saki Sessions) by Hollows 89bpm
Lo-fi pop from Chicago.  Very melodic. 

16 Military Wives by The Decemberists 92bpm
Sweet indie rock from the pacific northwest USA.

Jaded Bones by Koda 88bpm
Downtempo electronica from Columbia, North Carolina.

Ninnyhammer by Holobody 92bpm
Synth-pop from Montreal.  Could be too cute for its own good, I'm sure I'll get sick of this quite fast, but I am currently quite enchanted.  Luckily there is oodles of great, free running music to consume.

Snap by Nosaj Thing 94bpm
Electronic hip-hop from LA. Quite melodic. Has a very slight 8-bit feel.

Boogie Down by Gramatik & Break Science 94bpm
From Portoroz, Slovenia, but doesn't sound like I'd expect.  I'm not really even sure what I expect from Slovenia?  In the same sort of spirit as the last track, electronic hip-hop.

Forever Punk

Running in the winter is hardcore. So here's a little mix of punk, post-punk, math-rock, metal for the furious few left out there on the trails. Nothing electronic, lots of attitude, fast loud.  All tracks are available on the amazing music site Epitonic.  I usually try to limit myself to 6 songs on the free download lists, but these 7 tracks still clock in under 30 minutes. As usual click on the song to download, the band name will take you to the Epitonic page for the band.


Queen of Hearts by Fucked Up 90bpm
Yes let's fall in love!  This is a totally sweet little love song! Canadian.

Drug Control by 7-Seconds 91bpm
Short and to the point.  Don't dope people! It ain't a winning strategy. Oh and this track is only 39 seconds long.

Turbofonte by Chevreuil 87bpm
Instrumental. Get lost in this track listening to all nine and a half minutes. Frenchies.

Chasing My Mind by Holograms 94bpm
Isn't that what running is half about, chasing your mind? Swedish.

Craver by Lower 87
Has a dark sound, which I just love, officially downer punk. Danish.

Goergia X by Creedle 89bpm
Somewhere between metal and punk.  This is a great track. Plus they are from San Diego, a town I love.  

Yellow Guy / Pink Eye by Sleeping People 90bpm
Instrumental, more metal than punk.  I LOVE running to stuff like this.  It will add power to your stride. Again from San Diego.

PS the title is a homage to my current favourite band Die Goldenen Zitronen.  It's their 'cover' of Forever Young.  Not a good running song, but I couldn't resist!

Conquer Claustrophobia

It's been quite a while since I posted a track, especially one that isn't a free download.  But I think this one is worth the 99c or so you'll have to pay to download.  Its the Omar Souleyman's remix of Bjork's track Crystalline.  Its got this awesome eastern, desert nomad sound, with Bjork's crazy Icelandic manic melody.  Just lovely.  Plus I have to give a heads up to my pal Niall for putting this into my Facebook feed. He's got great music taste.

The BPM is 90 so perfect for a 180 SPM run. If the desert world sound isn't for you, the original version is also 90BPM.

6 Pack Nov 2012

So here this month's selection of 6 tracks, all legally and freely available for download from the amazing music site Epitonic. To download the song, click on the name of the song.  The band name links to the Epitonic page about the band. The BPM on all these songs is close to 90, so that's perfect for a 180 SPM (Strides Per Minute) run since 90 is half of 180, and the beat feels pretty much the same to me, between 180 and 90.  

La Belle Tocade by  ME & LP 92 BPM
ME & LP are Matthew Embree (Rx Bandits, Love You Moon) and Lisa Papineau (Big Sir) I'm a big Big Sir fan. American.  Indie Pop. I LOVE this track.  If you missed the Big Sir track I recommended its The Kindest Hour with a BPM of 90. 

Shooting Stars by Elysian Fields 91 BPM
From New York, this is lush and dreamy, has touches of down-tempo, jazz, pop.  This sort of thing goes either way for me, it can come off as cheesy, or I buy it.  Somehow here I buy it.

In Loco Parentis by The Better Automatic 89 BPM
American indie pop, with a bit of a hard edge.  Good strong beat.

We've Had Enough by Alkaline Trio 88 BPM
Punk from Chicago. I really don't know what makes these guys 'punk' and the last guys 'pop'.  I feel like punk used to be harder, well American punk to me usually sounds like pop. Again super beat.

Too Late To Topologize by Zammuto 94 BPM
Experimental electronic pop.  This is a happy bubbly song.  From New York.

Your Drums, Your Love by AlunaGeorge 90 BPM
British electronic female vocals. I like this because her voice reminds me of Martina Toply-Bird the singer on Tricky's first album.  But if I'm honest this is just not as dark and twisty as Tricky, but I still like it enough.  If you missed it she has another song on Epitonic You Know You Like It at 91 BPM that I've mentioned in a previous post. 

6 Free Running Songs for October 2012 part 2

So here's a second set of free running songs.  They are all legally and freely available for download from the amazing music site Epitonic. To download the song, click on the name of the song.  The band name links to the Epitonic page about the band.  


Anti Love Song by Betty Davis  93 BPM
Super old, funk, American.  I should hate it, but don't. 

You Gotta Know by Little Emily Warfield 94 BPM
Indie Americana Folk Rock.  

I Am Always The One Who Calls by Pedro the Lion 92 BPM
Seattle's Pedro The Lion give us this adorable little indie rock emo track.  

Rano Pano by Mogwai 93 BPM
Instrumental guitar noise from Glaswegian's Mogwai.  The beat is not too strong, but won't get in the way. 

I'm Not Invisible by Rocket From The Crypt 88 BPM
Pop punk rock from San Diego.  Easy to run to. 

We Were Sparkling by My Brightest Diamond 94 BPM
Sounds slow, but the BPM of 94 means it's actaully a bit fast for running. I had a My Brightest Diamond thing for a while, but after a few too many listens they started sounding a bit pretentious.  Regardless this is a lovely song, probably my favourite of theirs.  They are from New York. 

Free Running Songs for October 2012 part 1

I've really reduced the amount of posts in the last few months. Part of it is just that I've been really busy, and also that my attention has sort of been else where. I've been massively geeking out over at Coursera. Anyway my Free Running Songs posts have gotten a lot more hits that the single video song posts. So unless I find a real gem, I'll just be sticking to the free download stuff, well at least for now. Oh and another post that has gotten a lot of hits, and that I think is worth a look at is Take Control of the BPM, in which I explain how to tweak the BPM of songs you already love, so if you missed that you might want to go have a look. 

OK so this time these free tracks are available at last.fm. I'll try to do an Epitonic post too before the end of the month.  

Freiheit by Tonic 94 BPM
German, hip-hop. unfortunately the last.fm page for Tonic is of another band that isn't this Tonic. I LOVE LOVE LOVE the lyrics to this. In fact I just love it. Its a fucking anthem to run to, to live to. Here's some bits of the lyrics I was able to pick up.

"es ist nie mals zu spat zu sein wenn du anfangst zu werden
Wege tragen Scherben damit du betriebst zu lernen
zu ehrer und begehren was dein Leben fuer ein Geschenk ist
...
jede deine schritte ist begleitet durch Freiheit
spreng die Ketten die Zeile und Leichtheit
ateme tief durch man dein Leben muss Frei bleiben"

which translates to something like this
"it is never to late to become, the path has shards so that you can learn to honor what a gift your life is ... every step in guided by freedom, cut the chains, the ropes and the easiness, breath deep man, your life must stay free".

You know I really like the sound of hip-hop but so usually is is barely masked 'my dick is bigger than yours' bullshit. German hip-hop is often much, much better than that. On last.fm there are several other runnable tracks from Tonic; Intro feat. Dj Corin (89 BPM), Monoton (93 BPM),  Letzten Tag (89 BPM),   Deine Entschiedung (90 BPM) and Wahrnehmung feat. Es-say (91 BPM) so go get your fill.


Séance on a Wet Afternoon by Girls Names 89 BPM
From Belfast.  Indie noisy pop.  


Erasers by Sequence Theory Project 90 BPM
Not too sure where these guys are from. Slow sad trip-hop. 

Flower Song by Jermook 95 BPM
Jermook are Russian, but it sounds like she's singing in an Asian language to me. Trip-hop but way more up beat than the last one.

Poor Droidcat by Psilodump 92 BPM
8-bit /  chiptune from Sweden. This track is AMAZING!  It is so good it makes my head hurt to listen to it.  

Jag Mötte Henne I Fredags by Bossfight 91 BPM
Also 8-bit but with some female vocals from fellow Swedes Bossfight.