Weightless (Ambient Transmission Vol. 2) by Marconi Union
Mindlab set out to validate claims that the track “Weightless” by Marconi Union is especially relaxing and to compare its effects with a professional massage and a selection of other tracks commonly rated as relaxing. The results were combined to show an overall “relaxation percentage score” with “Weightless” coming in at 73%.
Give it a listen and try it out!
CONTENT WARNING: This song below references suicide and may be upsetting to some readers/listeners.
Szomorú Vasárnap by Rezső Seress
“Gloomy Sunday” in English
Also known as the “Hungarian Suicide Song,” is a song composed by Hungarian pianist and composer Rezső Seress and published in 1933. The original lyrics, titled Vége a világnak (The World Is Ending), expressed despair caused by war. Poet László Jávor later wrote his own lyrics, Szomorú vasárnap (Sad or Gloomy Sunday), in which the protagonist considers suicide after the death of a lover. The song was first recorded in Hungarian by Pál Kalmár in 1935, and by the 1940s it had been translated into several languages. Over the years, many famous artists recorded the song, including Billie Holiday, Genesis, Ray Charles, Sinéad O’Connor, and Sarah Brightman.
It became known as the “Suicide Song” because, according to legend, some individuals who died by suicide were found with the sheet music in their hands or referenced the song in notes. While these cases were rare, they contributed to widespread fear of the song. The BBC even banned broadcasts of it until 2002. Research shows there is no evidence that the song directly caused a suicide epidemic; broader social and economic hardships of the 1930s, along with individual mental health struggles, were far more likely factors. The legend of this song demonstrates how music can powerfully reflect and influence human emotion, highlighting the complex relationship between music and mental health.
We’ve included the song below for those who wish to listen. May it offer a moment to consider the experiences of those who were moved by it.
ditb · Rezső Seress’ “Szomorú vasárnap” aka “Gloomy Sunday” (1933)
Enduring chart topper born from challenging life experiences — Mr.Brightside by The Killers
“Mr. Brightside” by The Killers has become one of the most enduring modern anthems of emotional resilience and heartbreak. It is especially iconic in the UK and Ireland, where it has remained on the Top 100 charts for over a decade, which reflects how deeply listeners connect with its themes of jealousy, anxiety, and the effort to stay optimistic. Many fans describe the song as cathartic because it lets them channel spiralling thoughts into something communal and up-lifting. This shows how music can transform intrusive emotions into shared release.
Culturally, it has evolved into a kind of emotional shorthand. It is a song people belt out together at parties, pubs, weddings, and sporting events. Its repetitive structure mirrors obsessive thinking, which may be part of why it resonates so strongly on a psychological level. Lead singer, Brandon Flowers wrote the lyrics to “Mr. Brightside” after walking into a bar and seeing his girlfriend with another man and the jealousy and paranoia that followed.
Flowers later joked that it was one of his lowest moments, especially since he was staying at his sister’s house at the time and wrote it while staying on a “child’s princess single bed” belonging to his niece. It raises the question of why do so many iconic songs emerge from periods of musician’s mental struggles?