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10 songs that feel like Human Qualities

Matched to Human Qualities by Explosions in the Sky on how the music actually moves — intensity, dynamic swing, texture, tempo — not by genre tag. Here's what makes each one a match.

Human Qualities
The song you love
Human Qualities
Explosions in the Sky
moderate 43/100 intensity 80 BPM

A 99% feel-match — carries the same cathartic pull and lands at almost exactly the same energy (43/100). Nearly the same tempo, too (80 BPM).

I'm Jim Morrison, I'm Dead — Mogwai moderate 85 BPM

96% match across our 8 measured dimensions; it lands at almost exactly the same energy (40/100). Same layered texture.

Let's Go Away for Awhile — The Beach Boys moderate 90 BPM

Keeps the same dreamy pull — lands at almost exactly the same energy (40/100). Measured 95% alike.

Chord Change — Camel moderate 100 BPM

Measures 94% the same. It lands at almost exactly the same energy (41/100). Same layered texture.

Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 77 — Johannes Brahms moderate 80 BPM

A 99% feel-match — carries the same contemplative pull and lands at almost exactly the same energy (43/100). Nearly the same tempo, too (80 BPM).

Estampes — Claude Debussy moderate 60 BPM

94% match across our 8 measured dimensions; it lands at almost exactly the same energy (38/100). Same layered texture.

Com — Mono moderate 100 BPM

Keeps the same dreamy pull — lands at almost exactly the same energy (45/100). Measured 94% alike.

The Mission — Ennio Morricone moderate 70 BPM

Measures 98% the same. It lands at almost exactly the same energy (42/100). Same layered texture.

Yuri Gagarin — Dirty Three moderate 80 BPM

A 94% feel-match — carries the same dreamy pull and lands at almost exactly the same energy (39/100). Nearly the same tempo, too (80 BPM).

Authentic Celestial Music — Dirty Three moderate 80 BPM

94% match across our 8 measured dimensions; it lands at almost exactly the same energy (39/100). Same layered texture.

…and if you want it calmer

Same feeling, measured gentler — for when Human Qualities is more than you want right now.

Be Comfortable, Creature by Explosions in the Sky
Be Comfortable, Creature — Explosions in the Sky safe 70 BPM

Keeps the same feel of the original, but its dynamic range stays a gentler 5 where the original climbs to 8. Intensity 22/100, down from 43. Nearly the same tempo, too.

If I Were a Boy by Beyoncé
If I Were a Boy — Beyoncé safe 92 BPM

Nothing in it lurches or startles, so it lands at 28/100 — the pull without the edge.

Daydreamer by Adele
Daydreamer — Adele safe 72 BPM

If it's the same feel you're after, this delivers it while its dynamic range stays a gentler 4 where the original climbs to 8. Reads 15/100. Nearly the same tempo, too.

Tranquility Base Hotel + Casino by Arctic Monkeys
Tranquility Base Hotel + Casino — Arctic Monkeys safe 85 BPM

Holds the same feel while its dynamic range stays a gentler 3 where the original climbs to 8. 13/100, versus the original's 43. Nearly the same tempo, too.

Say Yes to Heaven by Lana Del Rey
Say Yes to Heaven — Lana Del Rey safe 72 BPM

Keeps the same feel of the original, but its dynamic range stays a gentler 3 where the original climbs to 8. Intensity 11/100, down from 43. Nearly the same tempo, too.

Mermaids by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
Mermaids — Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds safe 80 BPM

Its dynamic range stays a gentler 4 where the original climbs to 8, so it lands at 16/100 — the pull without the edge. Nearly the same tempo, too.

Spinning Song by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
Spinning Song — Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds safe 70 BPM

If it's the same feel you're after, this delivers it while its dynamic range stays a gentler 4 where the original climbs to 8. Reads 15/100. Nearly the same tempo, too.

Happy For You by Dua Lipa
Happy For You — Dua Lipa safe 95 BPM

Holds the same feel while its dynamic range stays a gentler 5 where the original climbs to 8. 29/100, versus the original's 43.

Frequently asked

What songs sound like “Human Qualities” by Explosions in the Sky?

The closest feel-matches we measure are “Bach: Cello Suite No. 2 in D Minor, BWV 1008: I. Prelude” by Yo-Yo Ma, “I'm Jim Morrison, I'm Dead” by Mogwai, “Let's Go Away for Awhile” by The Beach Boys — the top match scores 99% alike. Matching is by how the songs actually move (intensity, dynamic range, texture, tempo, predictability, vocal force), not by genre tag or popularity.

What songs are like “Human Qualities” but calmer?

“Be Comfortable, Creature” by Explosions in the Sky, “If I Were a Boy” by Beyoncé, “Daydreamer” by Adele keep a similar feel while measuring gentler — lower dynamic swing, fewer sudden shifts, or a calmer overall level.

How intense is “Human Qualities”?

It measures 43/100 on our intensity scale, computed from a dynamic range of 8/10, layered texture, mild sudden shifts, and instrumental. Tempo is 80 BPM.

How do you decide which songs are similar?

Every song in our catalog is measured on 8 dimensions — intensity, dynamic range, tempo, sudden changes, texture, predictability, vocal force and fine sound detail. Similarity is the distance between two songs across those measurements, so matches cross genres and eras. Shared mood tags break ties.

By the numbers: how this song compares

Computed from this song’s place among the 19,209 songs we’ve measured.

Where it sits in 19,000 songs

On our 19k-song scale this lands in the middle band — more energetic than 39% of songs, calmer than the other 61%. Its intensity reading of 43/100 comes from a dynamic range of 8/10, layered texture, mild shifts, and instrumental. It shares this stretch of the spectrum with thousands of other tracks, so the finer fingerprint below is what really separates it.

What makes it unusual

What stands out most about this song is a slow, unhurried pace: more extreme on that axis than 85% of everything we've measured. At the far opposite end of the library sit the songs built on full chaos — sudden changes, huge quiet-to-loud swings, and relentless energy — the kind of track this one is the counterpoint to.

Feels almost identical to

Closest matches by feel across all 19,209 measured songs — not by genre or artist, by how they actually move.

What it’s good for

Sleep5/10
Focus10/10
Workout3/10
Dinner8/10
Party / hype3/10

Scored from this song’s tempo, intensity, dynamics and texture — not crowd votes.

2011 in context

The 372 songs we’ve measured from 2011 average a dynamic range of 6.4/10. At 8/10, this track is louder and more dynamic than its year.

Mixes smoothly with

Within a few BPM and close in feel — they flow without a jarring transition.

The fingerprint

Intensity43
Dynamics78
Tempo22
Surprise25
Density33
Predictability50
Vocal force0
Trigger load0

The 8-dimension measurement behind every rating on this page.

Want the single closest match, with every dimension compared?

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