I’m not what you’d call your basic road warrior.
I only spend about five hours a week on BART between the East bay and San Francisco, but I enjoy complaining about it.
It’s one of the perks.
BART cars are old and noisy; at high speed through the transbay tube, they groan and whine like the outdated beasts they are. Headphones make the din almost bearable. Here’s some of my favorite songs for canceling out the high-pitched, whining drone of (no, not my complaining, but) a swaying, rattling, crowded train interior:
Christina Vantzou “And Instantly Take Effect” (Loscil remix)
Christina’s alright. Christina plus Loscil is very alright.
Ashra “Deep Distance”
This really does need to be transformed into a 60 (or 120) minute loop.
Echospace Silent World (Official Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Nearly all Deepchord/Echospace’s voluminous catalog can flatline BART clatter, but this 3xLP beauty contains a 1 hour 11 minute dub techno epic aimed squarely between the rails.
Liumin “Maglev”
This is another unimpeachable Deepspace wonder.
Neu! “Hallagallo”
(when the trains are running slowly, or in reverse, I recommend Neu! 2)
Holger Czukay “On The Way To The Peak Of Normal” (title track)
“Ode To Perfume” would be a close second, if only for its fluid 18-minute running time. But there’s something about this shorter track that seems made for the ratchety-clack of train travel.
Ultravox “Hiroshima Mon Amour”
When I listen to this song on trains, I daydream about making a video to it. Stay tuned.
Herbert Distel La Stazione
