Sound of Summer: 5 Albums To Make You Feel Sunny

Unfortunately, I’m going to be spending the majority of the summer inside an office rather than soaking up the sun. These are the albums I play when I want it to feel like summer.

1. ‘Feeding Seahorses by Hand’ by Billie Marten

Billie Marten’s sound is the perfect chill summer vibe that just makes you feel relaxed. I have this album on heavy rotation all year round, but tracks like ‘Toulouse’ and ‘Blue Sea Red Sea’ just shine that bit brighter when the weather is nice. It’s the perfect accompaniment for lazy days in the garden, where you can just lap up the beauty of taking this slow.

Standout track: ‘Vanilla Baby’- ‘pages after pages I write for me and no one else’. 

Need I say more?

2. ‘More’ by Pulp

Pulp’s first album for 24 years came out last June, and it absolutely soundtracked my summer last year. The album opens by taking you to ‘Spike Island’ and just oozes a sense of heat throughout. It makes for a great accompaniment to summer walks in the park or on the beach. 

You just can’t help getting a spring in your step!

Standout track: ‘Got To Have Love’- a triumphant and catchy pop song that just lifts the soul, especially on sunny days.

3. ‘Palomio’ by First Aid Kit

Swedish siblings Klara and Johanna Söderberg are masters of beautiful harmonies that make you yearn for adventure. Their most recent album ‘Palomino’ comes from a happier place than summer of their older work. It conjures the idea of a long road trip, getting lost, and not really caring about the final destination. I love driving to it, especially at sunset.

Standout track: ‘Out of My Head’- it’s a rousing cry for something ‘more’. Who knows what that ‘more’ is, but you can feel the passion. 

4. ‘The Ballad of Wallis Island’ by Tom Basden and Carey Mulligan 

This isn’t just an album recommendation, but a film recommendation too! I went to see ‘The Ballad of Wallis Island’ last summer, and it was by far my favourite film of the year. It centres on a folk band (McGwyer Mortimer) being paid to reunite to perform a private concert on a remote island. It’s a beautiful film, with an absolutely outstanding soundtrack. It made me want to reunite with McGwyer Mortimer myself and make them play me a private concert.

Standout track: ‘Morning Evening’- The film’s opening song perfectly captures the tone of both the album and the movie. 

5. Tea for the Tillerman by Cat Stevens

Cat Steven’s 1970 classic has endured for a reason. It represents an optimism and hope for peace that makes the heart soar. Cat Stevens (aka Yusef Islam) played the Glastonbury legends slot in 2023, and these songs just sounded incredible on a Sunday afternoon in the sun. 

Standout track: ‘Father and Son’- A song that’s been making people cry for 56 years, and will do for at least 100 more. 

Written by, Eleanor Patamia