NEW EP ‘’ A BLACK DOG’’ 6th MARCH 2026
W: Karl Watson
Stripped of the noise, the lights, and the labels, what remains is the music that truly matters. The Lifeboat Playlist is a raw deep dive into the sonic DNA of the artists we love, forcing them to choose the ten definitive tracks they’d carry into isolation. It’s a survival kit built on gut-level resonance—a collection of anthems, heartbreaks, and high-octane riffs that define a lifetime.
From stadium-sized roars to vulnerable late-night confessions, these are the songs that keep the fire burning when the horizon feels endless. While narrowing down a lifetime of influence is an agonizing task, Petrichor has selected these ten anchors to keep his ship steady:
1. Reckoner – Radiohead
Probably my favourite song. When people ask, I usually give this answer. It’s just a beautiful track with glorious vocals from Yorke, encapsulating so much of what makes Radiohead so good. The percussion is enchanting and the melody is simple but moving. I can’t quite put a finger on just what makes it so special, but it’s always scratched the right part of my brain.
2. Wonderman – Tinie Tempah
A fantastic, enormously fun tune that brings me back to my childhood. To this day, it goes ridiculously hard and feels like an anthem whenever it comes on. An absolute blast from start to finish. That whole album is still so much fun to revisit; I was obsessed with it as a kid.
3: Eden – Talk Talk
An utterly wonderful track. Mark Hollis has an enchanting voice and he really uses it here. The way the track builds for the chorus is mesmerizing and still gives me goosebumps.
4. Unreal – Bladee
A fundamental track in the discography of the enigma that is Bladee. A starting point from which so much great music has been born and influenced. Twelve years old and yet it sounds like it came out yesterday. Timeless.
5. I Need You – Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
One of the most emotionally evocative tracks of all time. There’s little more I need to say. It’s a masterpiece.
6. Hoppípolla – Sigur Rós
An ethereal song that takes me back to watching nature documentaries as a kid. Angelic stuff—it has a certain uplifting quality that fills you with hope, but at the same time, it almost brings me to tears. The sort of song that would soundtrack a montage of memories at the end of a film.
7. I Luv the Valley OH! – Xiu Xiu
Such an interesting and eclectic track. Catchy but complex and exciting. This is Xiu Xiu honing their experimentation into a track that's accessible and yet still fighting the norm.
8. Lover, You Should’ve Come Over – Jeff Buckley
There’s little to say; it’s a perfect song. If I was on a desert island, I think I’d be lonely and yearning. This would be required.
9. The Rip – Portishead
Had to include a Portishead track. I love this one for its captivating simplicity that catches you off guard and builds into a titan of a tune. Such great dynamics.
10. The Eraser – Thom Yorke
A track which I associate with a time of my life I hold close to my heart, and the emotion associated with it is a double-edged sword but if I’ve got ten tracks to pick, I want to pick one that I associate with a key moment in my life. Bittersweet though it may be to listen, it’s a superb song.