Acoustic Chill

Here's a question: would it still be possible to chill if the national grid went down and there was nothing to plug in? No synths, nor shimmering reverb pedals? On the evidence of these superlative cuts, absolutely. This is great music stripped to its core, fit for kingly hours of contemplation and relaxation. Gently shove yourself away from the harbour wall of care with the Cinematic Orchestra's "To Build a Home" (with Patrick Watson guesting on vocals). For more soul therapy (unplugged) head for Next Steps.

Jean-Luc Godard once opined that all you need for a movie is "a girl and a gun." In the same spirit of reduction, all you need for acoustic chill is a girl and a guitar. Among the artists who fit that bill are England's Polly Paulusma, whose "Fingers and Thumbs" has a wondrous, highly literate freshness; and leading light of the Austin Texas alternative scene, Abra Moore, whose "100 Miles" appeared on the anti-landmine advocacy compilation 13 Ways to Live. Expand your mind via chill, with the lyrical narratives of our Deep Cuts.

The acoustic chill intensifies here, as Kasey Chambers delivers her characteristic tightrope vocal, strung between strength and fragility, on an exceptional live version of "The Captain," and Steve Knightley, one half of the English folk roots duo Show of Hands, brings a fine poetic touch to "She's Gone," which appears on 2007's excellent Cruel River. Wisconsin's Stephanie Dosen is nothing short of enchanting on "This Joy" from her debut, A Lily for the Spectre (also '07).

While there's a place for all the bells, whistles, and brass sections of a lush, expansive approach to production, sometimes it pays to downsize — to pare things down to their absolute essentials. All the artists who have made it onto this collection of perfectly chilled acoustic tracks have mastered the art of slowing things down to heighten the effect — some possess an outlandishly gorgeous voice that stands out from a plain backdrop (notably, Rufus Wainwright); others use the lack of instrumental embellishment to emphasise emotional power (check out Air Traffic's "Empty Space"). Whichever way you cut it, this list radiates class.