Writing Music: Underground

A lot of writers like to put together playlists for their books, made up of songs that suit the general atmosphere, contain similar ideas, or suit their characters. I’ve sadly never been one of those writers. Finding the right ideas to put in the book is hard enough for me, let alone trying to find songs to match. But, very occasionally, I stumble upon a song that is simply perfect for my book. Today’s piece of writing music, Underground, from the soundtrack of the game Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate, is just such a piece.  It reminds me so strongly of the setting of my NaNoWriMo project, Blood Debt.

Underground, performed here by acapella maser Peter Hollens, has a sad, almost desperate sound to it, a statement about the terrible life the poor are forced to lead, and lamenting the broken promises made to them. It is the cry of a poor who have no hope of their lives getting better. The lyrics specifically refer to the streets of Victorian London, but the ideas could be transferred to any setting where the poor are mistreated and despairing. It would suit a historical novel, or a medieval setting, or even, as in my case, a dystopian.

Do you make playlists for your books? What songs suit your current novel? What are you listening to this week? If you’re participating in NaNoWriMo, what music is fuelling your writing at the moment?