Enterprise Nation

Resident geek and friend o' Enterprise Nation, San Sharma, recommends music for your home office and to help you be more productive.

I wrote some time ago, on this website, about how the music you play in your home office can help you be more productive. "Music with 'low information load'," I wrote. "Songs with little variety and complexity, few or no lyrics, allow you to concentrate better." The topic came up again in Emma's book, Spare Room Start Up, in which I was quoted saying pretty much the same thing.

And then, this week, reader and Enterprise Nation member Edward Davies wrote in, asking what I meant by 'low information load music' and whether I might be able to recommend some CDs for his home office and to aid his concentration.

Since sharing is caring, I thought I'd respond to Edward's question with a blog post and a playlist of some of my favourite 'low information load' music for you to discover.

All are, I think, available from iTunes, so you can check out samples over there. There might be a few new bands here too, so feel free to download whole albums from which these tracks are plucked.

Be warned though that 'low information load' music can moonwalk the fine line between quiet, background sounds and coma-inducing mellow pop. So, if you operate heavy machinery from your home office remember to alternate tracks with something livelier!

In any case, enjoy!

1. 'Such Great Heights', Iron & Wine
   Lo-fi champion, Samuel Beam, recorded this stripped down version of alt-electronica band, Postal Service's 'Such Great Heights' for the Garden State soundtrack. Bearing only the slightest resemblance to the original, Iron & Wine's cover is breathy, melancholy and quietly beautiful.
2. 'Last Orders', Richard Hawley
   The last track on Pulp guitarist, Richard Hawley's Cole's Corner ends a cycle of songs that recalls Sinatra's In the Wee Small Hours. Hawley's love of Roy Orbison, Elvis and Scott Walker is evident too, although not so much on this instrumental track, 'Last Orders', which is as solemn and as hazy as a long walk home from the pub.
3. 'Hinterland', AiM
   Another instrumental, this time with a little more volume, 'Hinterland' is a title track from British trip-hop producer, Andy Turner. (And a special shout-out to our friends in Barrow-in-Furness, from whence Turner hails!) 'Hinterland' chugs along, with jazzy instrumentation and the occasional vocal-sample that won't distract you from your work!
4. 'La Femme d'Argent', Air
   More electronica, this time from French instrumentalists Air, who cite Burt Bacharach and Brian Wilson as inspirations. Their music is as light and as airy as their band name suggests. It should make ploughing through emails a breeze!
5. 'A Century of Elvis', Belle & Sebastian
   One of my favourite bands, Belle & Sebastian, make what might be described as 'chamber pop' - pretty, delicate, a bit like...cake. 'A Century of Elvis' rewards repeat listening. It's a spoken word piece, barely audible over its 'background' music. The murmur is comforting, especially if your home office lacks that human touch! But, if you fancy a break, pump up the volume and see if you can hear the words and make out its peculiar narrative.
6. 'Dry the Rain', The Beta Band
   You might recognise this from the movie adaptation of Nick Hornby's High Fidelity, in which John Cusack confidently promises to sell five copies of this track just by playing it once in his record shop. He does. And it is that good. Here's that scene from the film.
7. 'Where Is My Love', Cat Power
   Just as I warned that 'low information load' can mean 'coma inducing', bear in mind that it can also be very sad! This track from Cat Power is certainly that, but the nonchalant vocal and lazy piano make it unusually relaxing. Perfect to wind down to at the end of a busy, homeworking day - or perhaps waiting for a spouse to return home?
8. 'So Sorry', Feist
   Another female singer/songwriter, Feist is vaguely jazzy, a little bit campfire, always sweet and introspective. Her voice on this track is breezy, as on the rest of the album, which is a perfect addition to a distraction free home office.
9. 'Be Good Or Be Gone', Fionn Regan
   On his debut album, The End of History, Fionn Regan proved himself an immensely talented songwriter. His songs sketch the outline of the coastal town (and the disused stone barn) where they were recorded. Listening to this track takes you from your home office to the seaside (via love, loss and lament), with the startlingly apt lyric: "I have become an aerial view of a coastal town that you once knew." Love that line!
10. 'Down the Line', Jose Gonzalez
    Anything from Jose Gonzalez is a worthwhile addition to any home office! And this track is a typically chilled out, acoustic wonder.
11. 'Polly Come Home', Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
    From one of 2007 biggest albums and the unlikely pairing of Led Zeppelin vocalist, Robert Plant and bluegrass superstar, Alison Krauss, 'Polly Come Home', like the whole record, is warm, subdued and understated. Perfect 'low information load' music for the perfect home office!

If you'd like to share your musical tastes with our readers, please do so in the comments below. What do you listen to in your home office? Do you listen to music at all? And what do you think of my suggestions?

San Sharma is a creative thinker, blogger and designer, as well as a writer on popular culture, technology and business.

• www.sansharma.com