Spotify crafts an amusing playlist of no-chill songs to get through the haze

It’s likely that Malaysia and Singapore will never stop trying to one-up each other, but scoring high marks in the air pollution levels ain’t a competition either nation wants to win. 

But hey, at least Malaysians can take it all in smoky stride with a Spotify-made playlist revolving around the haze-filled days ahead. 

Though Singaporeans are already expressing anxiety over the Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) crossing into the unhealthy range for the first time in three years, Malaysians have it much worse than we do. Strong winds blowing haze from forest fires in Sumatra have caused eight Malaysian states — including the Kuala Lumpur capital — to be shrouded by haze. 

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In the state of Sarawak, the haze literally kills. Being situated near the border of Indonesia’s Kalimantan (where forest fires have been ongoing for weeks), the thick smog pushed the Air Pollution Index readings in the town of Sri Aman to the hazardous level of 365 this morning, per Coconuts KL. 

In a musical bid to allow Malaysians to have a wee bit of breather from air pollution, Spotify put out a playlist righteously titled “Hazed & Confused”. 

“Haze is a strong word, but we really really really don’t like you,” read the caption to the 68-song playlist. It ain’t going filter out harmful airborne contaminants, but at least it has over four hours of snarkily-curated songs. 

Some choice songs that made it to the foggy playlist: 

• Breathless by The Corrs
• We Didn’t Start the Fire by Billy Joel
• Unwell by Matchbox Twenty
• Smoke from a Distant Fire by Sanford Townsend Band
• Goodbye Blue Sky by Pink Floyd
• Purple Haze by Jimi Hendrix
• Best I Ever Had (Grey Sky Morning) by Vertical Horizon

With dry weather expected to persist over the region, Try Not To Breathe (REM), Work from Home (Fifth Harmony) if possible, and don’t take that Mask Off (Future) anytime soon.

ilyas@asiaone.com