Mixed Up

Here's another list of song from the amazing music site Epitonic. All tracks are available for free and legal download. Click on the song name to start the download, the band name to be taken to the page about the band on Epitonic. The BPM is around 90, so perfect for a 180 SPM run.

Everything on the list is American and there is no theme this month, just a mixed up list of songs I like. I've added a video when I could find one, so that you can have a listen without downloading.

No Parties by Fergus & Geronimo 87bpm
These guys are from Texas, but they sound English. This is a fun, driving, smart almost comical track. Lyrics are intelligent, or at least very timely. Genre: experimental rock.



Lasers Vs. Lizards by Blasted Canyons 92bpm
From San Francisco. Fast, hard, short. Genre: hard-rock.


Croquet by Bitch and Animal 94bpm
Bitch and Animal are, well were, signed to Ani DiFranco's Righteous Babe Records label. I discovered them when they opened for Ani at a show in Munich, Germany in 2004. They are so adorable and funny and serious and entertaining. I was charmed. In this song I think they are taking the piss of rap songs. I fucking love that! Genre: queercore.

Cold Feet by Lost Lander 93bpm
American from the Pacific Northwest totally sound like they do, well in the folk-rock sense not the grunge sense. Sweet song, lyrics will appeal to introverts. Genre: indie-folk.


Highest Echo by Pontiak 88bpm
Pontiak are brothers from Warrenton, Virgina, USA. The track has a bit of a long intro, it really kicks in at 38secs, so might be interesting to trim. Genre: rock

The Breathing Machine by Greenhorse 87bpm
Like dark grey clouds on the horizon, this track feels like it is ushering in some gloom. They are in the L.A. scene, but according to Epitonic also have connections to London and South Africa. Genre: electronic rock. During my search for more info on this band I discovered that they did a cover of the Ellie Goulding song Lights. It is really different from the original. Even though Ellie's in the same category of stuff I don't like (Ke$ha, ...) she is a runner and so I'm allowed to like her and still be cool. Here's the video of that cover, its not runnable but worth a listen.

Hardwired at 94 BPM

Just wanted to give a heads up on a recent episode of Radiolab that I found really, really interesting: Speedy Beat.

In the episode they talk about music and BPM. It turns out tests have shown that our brains try to speed up slow music and slow down fast music.  The experiement went something like this.  They had people listen to a short sample of music at a certain BPM telling them to hit the next beat right after the sample stops.  If the BPM is slow they tend to hit that next beat just a bit too early.  If the BPM is fast the human taps the next beat a little bit too slow.  This made the researchers think that our brains are pushing towards a sort of perfect BPM.  So of course the most interesting result is the turnover point, the BPM where we finally get it just right.  Drum roll please...it's 94.  That's my favourite SPM to run to.  And very close to the SPM that maximises running efficiency.  I don't think this is a coincidence, we are 'born to run' and our evolutionary advantage is endurance running. No wonder the SPM that maximises our efficiency is deeply hardwired in our brains.

Oh and sometimes I listen to spoken word stuff while running like Radiolab!

Fire makes me go

I am kind of liking giving this free download list a theme, so here's another themed list, this time with an acoustic indie feel.  All tracks are available for free and legal download on the awesome music site Epitonic. Click on the song name to start the download, the band name to be taken to the page about the band on Epitonic.  The BPM is around 90, so perfect for a 180 SPM run.

Child-Heart Losers by Sunset Rubdown  92bpm
Canadian from Montreal.  This song is sad and melodic and has a sort of medieval sound to it.  Let the "fire make you go"...

Winged Wicked Things by Sunset Rubdown  89bpm
OK so this is another one by Sunset Rubdown, but it doesn't sound anything like the last track, at least I would never have guessed it was the same band.  This song sounds like it was influenced by Pink Floyd's The Wall. It is a great track. "Chaos is yours and its mine"

Ghost Story by Cloud Control  91bpm
Australian.  Sounds like the theme song for an old western movie.

In The Pines by Widowspeak 93bpm
American from Brooklyn.  Reminds me of Mazzy Star.  Pretty female vocals, good guitar.

A Milion Years by Alexandre  91bpm
American from southern California.  Finally a happy song on Run to the Beat - enjoy it, who knows when I'll like a happy song again.

Drunken Tears by Quasi  87bpm
American from Portland, Oregon. A bit melodramatic, just like the title suggests.

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.