The sounds of Strange Lights: A Playlist
Hello nonbinary pals, gals, guys, and all sentient beings of known or unknown origin,
your friendly wandering-definitely-not-local-author of Strange Lights here to jabber at you. At my book launch party, I was asked if Strange Lights had a playlist. It does! The questioner inadvertently stumbled onto one of my favorite topics. Music. Music is basically writing anyway. Poetry and stories told in a different form with the addition of instrumental sound effects. I could go on about it. So not only do you get a playlist; you get a good long ramble about some of the songs I picked for this playlist and why. Feel free to listen to the Spotify playlist before/while reading.
Here’s the link to my Spotify playlist.
BUT BE FOREWARNED: THERE WILL BE SPOILERS IN THIS POST.
I also didn’t organize the playlist in a sensible way or anything. It’s all just kinda tossed on there. I’d recommend reading the book before you continue to my extended TED Talk below. Though you’re safe to read the next little bit of intro, I’ll put in another more excessive spoiler warning before I go into deep detail.
The Strange Lights playlist is eclectic. Which, realistically, fits the vibe of the book. I listened to a lot of Glass Animals, Milky Chance, Gorillaz, and Noah Kahan while writing this book, so you’ll find a few of my favorites of theirs on this list.
A few of these songs directly inspired certain scenes or arcs. Many influenced the small details of scenes. Some of these songs I found later, after everything had been written, but they just fit so perfectly that I added them in. I can’t guarantee I’ve interpreted any of these songs/lyrics the way their artists intended them or the way that they speak to you. In fact, I’m sure some of my interpretation/logic as to why some songs meant something to me is different than how anyone else will see it. But I kinda think that’s the cool thing about art and writing.
And much like my drafts, this final version has been edited many times over, with songs removed and songs added over the course of writing and publishing Strange Lights. This isn’t everything I listened to while writing Strange Lights; this compilation has been pared down or else it would be a monstrosity of a list—a nonsensical thirteen-hour playlist probably.
MAJOR SPOILER WARNING!!!!
Don’t go any further lest you spoil Strange Lights for yourself.
No really, if you haven’t read it, stoppppp.
SPOILERS INCOMING.
Okay, now they’re gone—we can talk.
I’ve organized the post by vibes. The playlist itself is also semi-organized by vibes at best. I tried by chapter, I tried by character, etc. But I can’t do it. Maybe I’m just not that organized. So you get song/explanation soup. There was no other good way, sorry.
Aliens Exist by Blink 182: I don’t know how I missed this one, but someone posted on IG about Strange Lights with this song the other day, and I ran to my playlist to add it. Campy 90’s vibes, I’m sold. It’s a good mood setter.
Orion by Haunted, Like Human—This is one of those songs I heard after I’d written the entire story and my jaw dropped at the lyrics.
“I’m out here listening to the stars.”
“And I do my best to pick up on the whispers that they’ve told.”
“They’re spinning ancient stories from world’s I’ll never know.”
I meannnnn. The whispers in Reggie’s head??
“Oh Orion, point me home.”
“And you’re like a distant brother that I want to get to know.”
Plus, Haunted, Like Human has replied to my IG and TikTok comments, which makes me feel hella cool. So, Big Haunted, Like Human fan, personally.
Some songs that give me Reggie vibes: Wicked Heart by Sublime with Rome, Shadow by Livingston, Nobody’s Soldier by Hozier, Dashboard by Noah Kahan, Lost in the Ocean by Glass Animals, I Don’t Wanna Talk (I Just Wanna Dance) by Glass Animals. Avoidance, running, and existential dread about being the villain in the story are my themes for Reggie’s songs.
Violent Peace by John Kailian—This song is basically how Reggie feels about Adele. Specifically, I resonated deeply with the line “I bet I’d feel a violent sense of peace when you’re gone,” while writing some of Reggie’s time in Nevada.
In similar vein, Carolina Reaper by Amélie Farren has some lines that pair well with Reggie’s initial venture into the void to create the Gauntlet and that also really capture the complicated relationship Adele and Reggie have and the conflictedness Reggie feels in tethering her. “It hurts but you'll be back for more. When you fantasize of fire, pain is easy to ignore.”
Indigo (feat. Avery Anna) by Sam Barber—This one I listened to a lot particularly while writing Chapter 27, Untethered, after Luca leaves Agency 51.
“I'm startin' to wonder if my true colors changed since I left ya. Used to shine bright like gold, now I'm all indigo. My colors are darker and cold, I think it's time that I went homend I don't understand why I always feel dead and alone”
It definitely embodies Reggie’s mindset at that point in the story. Plus, I liked the dual voices. It felt a little like how Reggie wings it with their pronouns. The song is a little like hearing both sides of themself—genderwise—at once.
Other songs that felt like there were about depression: Hollow Bones by Anna Graves, Little Dark Age by MGMT, and All Time Low by Jon Bellion, Melancholy Hill by Gorillaz. These were definitely played a lot during Part 3: Somewhere in the Nevada Desert.
Songs about running away: Run Away Girl by Alice Merton, On the Run by Glass Animals, Run Boy Run by Woodkid, Dog Days Are Over by Florence + The Machine, The Great Escape by Josie Edwards. The running away and the traveling/nomadic life is obviously a big motif in Strange Lights so naturally, there’s a few running themed songs scattered through my playlist.
Werewolf themed songs: Bad Moon Rising by Creedence Clearwater, Howling at Wolves by Stephen Sanchez, Loba by Shakira (now I know Calvin and Luca are he/him werewolves in this story but whatever, I like the song and we’re loosey goosey with gender in this particular corner of the universe)
Songs with Calvin themes: Collapse by Chance Peña, She Lit a Fire by Lord Huron. Flaws by Bastille. Deny Deny Deny by Noah Kahan, Everywhere Everything by Noah Kahan, (and to think the amount of Noah Kahan songs I cut from this whole list is…frankly embarrassing, if I had time for dignity) Sunlight by Hozier. Basically, for this relationship, I’ve got sappy/dramatic love songs from Calvin’s side of things, and needlessly angsty “I’m not good enough” songs from Reggie’s POV.
Calvin via Sink by Noah Kahan: “Oh, she's the sunset in the West. Oh, she's sleep when I need rest. And though the ship can be saved yet. And oh, for you, I would never sink again.”
Reggie via Bridges by Ike Dweck “I like my bridges burned. You've always liked them over water. I'm the storm after the turn. You're the sun before it started.”
Gorillaz: Ok, so lore drop. When I wrote Luca into the story, I happened to be listening to a Gorillaz song: She’s My Collar. Hence, Chapter 23: Project Leash & Collar. Also, the Gorillaz (a virtual band) being Reggie’s favorite seemed right. I think she’d find their lore relatable in a strange way.
Songs with Luca themes: Dance Macabre by Ghost. This one is for the Reggie/Luca goodbye in Chapter 26: Checkmate and also the conversation in Chapter 40: Lifeboats & Motherships. Feeling For You by Milky Chance and My Sweet Summer by Dirty Heads both are songs I feel like might capture the way Luca feels toward Reggie for most of the book.
Zara: American Cars by Noah Kahan. If that whole song isn’t the sibling left behind asking another to come home. “Oh, we're drownin' here, I've gotta stay for Mom. And it's fine we don't, but can you come home?”
Water metaphor songs: There were several songs that I listened to on repeat when I was heavy into writing and editing tethering scenes and concentrating on the storylines about connection, specifically between Calvin and Luca and Reggie. Troubled Water by Alex Warren—definitely the soundtrack of Reggie’s internal monologue at the end of Chapter 42: Origin, while thinking of the Titanic and remembering the Carpathia existed. A Tear in Space (Airlock) by Glass Animals. Swim by Jack’s Mannequin.
Sibling songs: Back on you by Djo, Hey Brother by Avicii, and Orbiter by Noah Kahan. Orbiter for specifically the scene right at the end of Chapter 42: Origins where Reggie is reflecting on her relationship with all her pseudo kids/siblings. Whether they’re found or by blood, sibling relationships are some of my favorite underrated platonic bonds to explore.
Epilogue music: Three Little Birds by Bob Marley, Vacation feat. Train by the Dirty Heads. Finally, Strange Lights by Deerhunter. This is another one I found after all was said and done and had the stray thought to look up songs with the same name as my book. Good thinking, me. I think that one is a good note to end on.
But before I go, here’s a just-for-fun bonus.
A mini playlist of what I’ve been listening to lately while writing my next book. It centers a couple of characters you met in the last chapter of Strange Lights, Theo and Archer. Think Stranger Things meets Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. The same weird mix of sci-fi and fantasy. A love story, a ghost story and a grief story with plenty more strangeness.
Meet Me in the Woods by Lord Huron—if I had to pick one song, it would be this one.
Clouds by BØRNS
Soothsayer by Haunted, Like Human
Carlo’s Song by Noah Kahan
Good in Red by the Midnight
You’re Somebody Else by flora cash
Dream Sweet in Sea Major by Miracle Musical
Anyway, if you’ve made it this far, thanks!
And if you have songs that remind you of Strange Lights
or its characters, I would LOVE to hear about them.
Happy listening & happy reading!
