Exclusive: Stream Yawn’s New Curated “Songs for the Weary” Spotify Playlist

By: Staff –

To celebrate the release of Yawn’s new single, “Wasting Time,” the emerging singer-songwriter curated a brand new “Songs for the Weary” Spotify playlist, which you can stream below.

Yawn is a project by artist and musician Julia McDougall. Prior to moving west, Julia lived and worked as a musician in Berlin. Julia’s songwriting leads Yawn’s dream-pop sound. Simultaneously hopeful and resigned, Yawn captures the stasis of our lives caught between technology and the natural.

“Wasting Time,” is about what it really means to commit to life as an artist: the risks involved, how to counteract all the expectations from the people around you, how to push against the tides of capitalism and societal norm.

“Hello, this is Yawn’s playlist for all the tired dreamers, all the ones who keep holding on, who carry on, who need rest and sunshine and to sit by the sea, to be held and touched and told they’re loved. Come away with me,” said McDougall.

Alessi Brothers – “Seabird”

Really everything in this playlist is centered around this opening track by the Alessi Brothers. In a way, it’s my personal  anthem. The opening line hits home for me every time: “There’s a road I know I must go, even though I tell myself that road is closed.” Aren’t we all seabirds looking for a home? Seabird, seabird, fly home.

Sandro Perri – “In Another Life”

I used to drive around in my car at night and listen to this on repeat. It means so much to me. “Let me into this impossible dream…” I think as we age, we all connect to ideas of what could have been/ might have been/ who we are/ who we once were. It sits inside of us like deadweight and I think as humans we are all trying to understand what to do with it. This song hits those soft spots for me in a big way.

Beverly Glen Copeland – “Ever New”

If you haven’t heard of Canada’s best kept secret it’s time to hop on the BGC train. Keyboard Fantasies is one of my all-time favourite albums and I don’t think any other artist evokes the same kind of beauty and wonder for me as they do. May I recommend this album to anyone who’s falling in love? It will make every moment pure magic.

Ann Peebles – “Until You Came Into My Life”

When I found out this album came out in 2009 I was blown away, the quality is so beautifully grainy and retro. Really evoking those early Mo-town vibes.I am a sucker for string arrangements and damn, that intro. Can’t beat it.

Arthur Russel – “That’s Us/Wild Combination”

Can I really make a mix without including Arthur Russel? I wanted to pick things up a bit but keep that softness rolling. This song makes any bad day better.

Moses Sumney – “Cut Me”

I had the absolute privilege and pleasure to see Moses Sumney in a tiny wooden church with about one hundred other people before he became the ripped gay sex god/ style icon that the world has come to know and love. It was one of the best shows I’ve ever seen in my life. I was transcended to some other place, beyond words and meaning and I am forever grateful to Moses for those moments he offered. His new album is really weird and interesting, I love it. “Cut me” in particular is a stand out.

Lambchop – “In care of 8675309”

This is another song I’ve listened to on repeat more times than I can count. “When your day implodes and your afternoon grows old… is there more to this breath that you are taking?” I love the lyrics in this song. They kind of paint a little picture of these day to day things that seem obvious but hold so much meaning, especially when you’re dealing with something as heavy as terminal illness. I get the sense that the writer is trying to make sense of it all.

Cate Le Bon / Group Listening – “Sad Nudes”

A really cool EP from Cate Le Bon & Group Listening. Of course, I am completely enamoured with everything that Cate releases, I’ve never been disappointed once. I like the pace and the feeling of this song and have always been captured by CLB’s ability to fall into these repetitive sonic dreams that leave me all at once lost and hanging on. The first time I listened to this song I sat in my car watching a train pass by and it felt like a perfect moment.

Emahoy Tsegué-Maryam Guèbrou – “Mother’s Love”

This song really does feel warm like a mother’s love, doesn’t it? We all deserve that, whether or not it’s something we’ve received. I’ve been infatuated with the way that Ethiopian jazz players roll through their notes so playfully and easy. There’s something so carefree and breezy about the whole thing, it’s an avenue I’ve been delving into a lot lately, especially with this solo piano album, I highly recommend it for a rainy afternoon.

Jenny Hval – “Spells”

Do you ever listen to a song and wish you made it? That’s how I feel about this song. Everything about it hits home for me. It’s a bit weird, the arrangements are interesting, there’s some crazy-ass sax rolling around, there’s a heaviness but then, wait- here it is- this beat drops and you’re suddenly asking yourself, what is this? Is this a pop song? Am I dreaming? Where am I? Then those big piano chords come in and all of the sudden we’re flowing into this incredible chorus and these big, thick vocal layers singing, “we will not be awake for long.” So let’s just stay in this weird dream together, shall we?

Aaron Neville – “Tell it Like it Is”

I’m such a sucker for a song that’s basically like “F U” but in the most beautiful way possible. Also damn, this sexy 3/4 time at the heart of so many soul songs sucks me in every time. How can you disagree? Let’s just slow dance for a second.

Jessica Pratt – “Back, Baby”

This is the song that you’ll find yourself humming randomly while you’re walking down the street. It haunts you a little bit but in the best way possible. “Can’t go back baby,” sometimes I have to remind myself when I get nostalgic about an ex (as a cancer sign is apt to do) you can never really go back. Everything moves forward, it moves on. Either things change or you move on.

Aldous Harding – “Weight of the Planets”

This is one of my favourite songs on Aldous Harding’s album “Designer.” I know it’s not the obvious choice but I was so struck by this idea, feeling the “weight of the planets.” I think we’ve all been feeling the weight of planets now more than ever. What will happen? Who are we in this grand cosmic tangle? Where do we fit in? What’s our role in this lifetime? How can we be kind and just and good?

Yo La Tango – “Painful”

Ok obviously this entire mix has been dripping with sentimentality, sorry if it’s really bumming you out.  I’m gonna end off with one last sentimental kick in the ass. Sometimes you need to finish a mix with a song that feels like the end of a movie. Imagine people dancing in a dark room with velvet curtains and nothing is said but you understand they are somewhere different than they were before. Have we arrived somewhere new together? I hope this helps you, wherever you are. I love you,

Yawn.