MELANCHOLY PLAYLIST: NO BRAIN, NO PAIN
Julien Crouigneau
A melancholy playlist can be the perfect companion for those in-between days when you’re not exactly sad, but you’re far from light. It’s that limbo mood, like a Sunday evening sneaking into a Tuesday morning. In those moments, you don’t want upbeat anthems or forced feel-good tracks. Instead, you need something slower, deeper, and more honest, like a well-curated playlist full of melancholy.
That’s where No Brain No Pain comes in. This collection leans into the softer side of sound, and it stretches out like a sonic nap. Moreover, the songs carry subtle vocals, understated pianos, and beats that sway instead of explode. As a result, this playlist, embodying a melancholy vibe, becomes a soundscape that doesn’t force emotion; it simply mirrors it. A playlist curated with care can enhance such moments of introspective beauty.
This isn’t music to escape your feelings. Rather, it’s music that lets you inhabit them. Therefore, you can take a moment to pause and reflect.
Spotlight on a few artists from No Brain No Pain
- Fred again.. with Kyle (Northern Line): He is the master of emotional sampling, turning everyday voices into fragile yet intimate anthems.
- JACOTÉNE with Only God (Intro): The young Australian’s raw, soulful voice has been compared to Amy Winehouse. Furthermore, she carries a rare depth that cuts through silence instantly.
- Frizzy P & Mr Cole with Tilla: This London duo blends Afrobeat and hip hop. Consequently, they infuse warmth into moody grooves that elevate the gray, complementing any playlist set for a melancholy mood.
- Hilts feat. Lizzie Berchie with A Million Thoughts: This track feels like an inner dialogue set to music. In addition, the confessional tone makes it both intimate and relatable.
- Danielle Ponder with Some Of Us Are Brave: Once a public defender, now a powerhouse soul singer, Danielle blends vulnerability with protest. Meanwhile, her voice anchors the playlist with a melancholy strength.
- Joy Crookes with Carmen: She mixes sharp storytelling with retro-soul. Therefore, she stands as one of the UK’s most captivating new voices, perfect for those seeking a mix with melancholy vibes.
So, if your mood drifts into “light fog,” No Brain No Pain becomes your sonic cocoon within this melancholy playlist. Turn off the notifications, and then let the world spin without you. Because sometimes, it’s only when you stop that you really start to hear.
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Born in Grenoble we quickly moved to Algeria and then we stayed in Madagascar. When the revolution started we return to France. We moved all over the country until I decide to stay in Paris to study design at the industrial design superior school.
I had the great opportunity to meet Philippe Starck when I graduated and worked with him for 5 years. Starck invited me to be graphic art director at Thomson Multimedia and I worked on a variety of electronic and dream projects for Europe, the US, and Global. Meanwhile, I was the art director of two magazines; one about design INTRAMUROS and the other about young trendy culture called KEITH magazine. Since 2010, I built a product design team at Atelier Pascalie, a cosmetic specialized agency… where we designed the new lines for l’Oreal Paris, Maybelline New York, The Body Shop. Among many challenging projects, we had the memorable experience of designing the Christian Louboutin nail polish.I am fully invested in staying connected with trends related to photography, fashion, art, design, typography, film, emerging media, brand communication, music, modern dance, my kids, and robots. I feel very strongly about building community and inspiring others as they inspire me. In 2015, I co-founded IRK Magazine, an international Paris based art, photography and fashion printed magazine and digital platform that reunites brand new and very known creative talents from around the world. Under the name French Cowboy, Mia Macfarlane and I started shooting fashion and art photography.It was the natural course with both our life experiences. We attack photography from our Art direction backgrounds to tell stories.
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