January’s Soundtrack

Last year, I completely lost track of what I was listening to and how music shaped each month. And since music is basically my emotional compass, I figured it’s time to start keeping track.

I’ve created three main categories for my monthly picks:

ENERGISER – for those tracks that give you a boost
CALMING – songs that bring peace to the chaos
SPECIAL – something unique, nostalgic, or just stuck in my head

So, here’s my lineup for January:

#energiser
"Keep It, Hold It" – FKA twigs

FKA twigs kicked off the year with Eusexua, an album packed with energy, but somehow, my top pick for an energiser is one of its calmer tracks. Keep It, Hold It is the perfect warm-up song—whether for a home workout, calisthenics, or gym session. That chorus? Ideal for crunches, planks, or pushups. And when the song shifts into high gear, it gives you that extra push to keep going. Bonus: it’s the only track from the album that hit me on the first listen.

#calming
"Kochałam pana (A. Osiecka)" – Sanah

I love Sanah, and I refuse to be subtle about it. I get why some people don’t, but I also get why people adore her—something I’ll dive into in a future post. Right now, she’s collaborating with legendary artists and poets, and Kochałam pana is another poetic masterpiece. This one has officially tied itself to my life and my current love story. If you have a sensitive heart, this song will hit deep. And side note—her music videos are getting better and better.

#special
"Armour" – M.I.A.

This one feels like a time capsule—an early M.I.A. demo that somehow resurfaced. It’s hypnotic, uplifting, and perfect for getting in the zone. Need background music while turning your room into a workspace? Check. Something to vibe to while cooking? Yep. Walking the dog? Absolutely. It wasn’t love at first listen, but it quickly became my go-to brain fuel for January.

That’s it for this month—let’s see what February brings.