ALYSSA LOST IN SPACE

Something you might not know about me is that I hate working in silence. The quieter it is, the more I tend to fixate on the silence, the sound of my computer fan buzzing, or the fizzing of my open can of diet Pepsi.

Weather permitting, I will crack open a window to let in the fresh air and the bird song. Otherwise, I have to have something playing in the background while I work. At this point, it is a non-negotiable. I even listen to audiobooks and podcasts while playing games that don’t involve a lot of reading or story. The point is, I need a background track when I’m doing stuff. It just helps me focus on the task at hand instead of my neighbour mowing the grass. And I think all this time self-isolating has only made me need that noisy escape more. It breaks up the monotony of the day with something a little different and unexpected.

When I’m drafting, I like to use very specific soundtracks, songs, and ambients to evoke a certain mood or idea of the setting. But beyond that, I really love to listen to ambient tracks. They fill the room with something that isn’t silence, and they sound really cool. Who wouldn’t want to work in the library at Hogwarts, or halls of Winterfell?

There are of course the fun ones that everyone enjoys – rainforests, trips on the beach, and the classic coffee shop – all things I really enjoy listening to while being stuck at home. But I thought it might be fun to spice up your work-slash-play time with some geeky ambient tracks. Maybe you are like me, and struggle to get work done when the silence is as profound as the vacuum of space. Or maybe you’re looking for something to liven up your workday. Either way, I’ve got you covered!

What I’m talking about, for those who may not know, are ambient sound videos you might see on Youtube, that layer music and sound effects to create a soundscape for a specific setting in books, games, and the like. They can either be lifted directly from a movie, game, or tv show or inspired by those places and descriptions.

I’ve assembled a fun collection here of what I think are some pretty solid ambient soundtracks for you to listen to. Some of them have music in the background, and some are more heavy on sound effects, but they’re all really chill and relaxing, and hopefully you find something you enjoy working to from this list!

Star Wars

The Lord of the Rings

Game of Thrones

Bioshock Infinite

The Witcher 3

The Legend of Zelda” Breath of the Wild

Final Fantasy XV

Animal Crossing: New Horizons

Minecraft

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Final Fantasy XIV

Dragon Age: Inquisition

Elden Ring

I tried to choose ones that were more than just music to evoke a nice sense of atmosphere, and nothing too loud or potentially distracting. Voices are at a minimum or muffled. A lot of these creators actually have a slew of different ambient soundtracks you can listen to if you find one you like and are interested in trying more.

Let’s Chat!

Have you ever listened to an ambient track while working? Do you have any you’d recommend? Leave a link to it in the comments below!