Matt Hendrickson

Music to Play on a Long Flight to China

You finally found a manufacturer that can handle your demand at a reasonable price. But it's in China, which requires a flight nearly a day long to get there. These albums will put you at ease, whether you spend the flight sleeping or working. So get them onto your iPod quick, before that cabin door closes.

 

CEO Playlist

Susan Gregg Koger, founder and CEO, Modcloth

"Originally written as lullabies for a newborn, these two-to-four-minute songs are meant to play seamlessly on repeat. I find that playing one of these softly really helps keep me asleep on long flights."

Brian Eno Ambient 1: Music for Airports
A genteel classic filled with sparse, twinkling piano and whooshes of cinematic sound, this album is perfect for falling asleep in your business class flatbed.

The Black Dog Music for Real Airports
A more realistic spinoff of Eno’s epic, this one is filled with field noises recorded in crowded terminals and noisy boarding announcements. It’s still ambient and relaxing, but reflects the more sinister side of current air travel.

Wolfgang Voigt Nah und Fern
This is a four-CD compilation of music by German experimental musician Voigt, recorded under his Gas moniker. It consists of a shimmering, droney collection of sweeping rhythm and pulsing beats: perfect working music from New York to the Pacific, before you hit the hay.

Kruder & Dorfmeister The K&D Sessions
The ultimate down tempo, dubby classic from this Austrian duo melds everything from Depeche Mode to Bone Thugs-n-Harmony.

The Pretenders "Boots of Chinese Plastic"
A hard-driving, raw number that will undoubtedly remind you that you are entering the plastic manufacturing capital of the world

Fleet Foxes Fleet Foxes
A ghostly complex of sweet harmonies from this Seattle outfit that has become masters of making more with less

Miles Davis Seven Steps: The Complete Columbia Recordings
Before Davis got all wiggy with his masterworks like Bitches Brew, this collection from 1963-64 is a precursor of the genius Davis was searching for, hinting at the difficult wizardry to come.

Abigail Washburn Abigail Washburn and the Sparrow Quartet
Washburn, a now-Nashville-based artist, spent years in China exploring the native sounds and incorporating them into this album. She even sings in Mandarin!

Next: Music to Get You Pumped Up Before a Big Meeting