Revisiting ‘Pure Moods’ in the Age of Coronavirus

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Webpage Vice.com has an article called “Revisiting ‘Pure Moods’ in the Age of Coronavirus”. It is an investigation into whether the memorably vibey 90s New Age compilation can offer any solace in this time of chaos.

‘Let’s assume, for a second, that you’re on the responsible end of societal actors and are currently in the midst of self-imposed isolation as the coronavirus pandemic spreads. Unless you’re a music writer—in which every waking moment is spent aurally sifting through crap in hopes of discovering something that brings you joy, or at the very least a decent rate—it’s wholly possible you’ve spent some time sitting around in silence, wondering if there’s anything you could throw on as background music to soothe whatever inner turmoil your thought process currently represents,” writes Larry Fitzmaurice. (…)

“Originally released as Moods – A Contemporary Soundtrack in the UK in 1991, the compilation was rebranded as Pure Moods upon hitting U.S. shores in 1994, and spawned five four “sequels” as well as more thematically specific spinoffs like Celtic Moods and Romantic Moods. On the surface, Pure Moods scans as a physical-product-era equivalent of a “Lofi Hip Hop Radio to Relax/Study to” YouTube loop—an exercise in uniform vibe-setting, filtered primarily through 90s New Age music instead of current-day chillwave variants. ”

Read the complete article here