On instrumental versions

A lot of the tracks on these playlists are instrumental versions of songs that have a vocal cut on the album. There's usually a B-side, a deluxe edition, a film mix, or a stems release where the vocal has been pulled.

For most of the rooms, the instrumental is what fits. The vocal version is fine in a different room — a kitchen, a car, a Friday night — but on a focus or sleep or reading playlist, language is what breaks it. The instrumental is the same song with the part that demands attention removed.

I prefer them not just for utility but because they often reveal something the vocal hid. A long synth pad you couldn't hear under the words; a drum part that was carrying more than you realised. The vocal is doing real work in the original; what's left when the vocal is gone is a different kind of work.

This is also why some artists I'd never expect appear on these playlists. The original of a pop song is wrong for the room. The instrumental sometimes isn't. It's worth looking for them.