Sunbeams and Some Beans

Kimya Dawson
Alphabutt (2008)
Safe 85 BPM
AI-analyzed — check another song
Deep calm, gentler than 100% of our 19,209 measured songs — measures out best for sleep.
85
BPM

Sunbeams and Some Beans by Kimya Dawson is 85 BPM — Andante (walking pace).

Half-time 43 BPM · Double-time 170 BPM · released 2008

Share on X Facebook

Fan image for "Sunbeams and Some Beans"

An abstract illustration of what this song feels like. Each image is built from a prompt — the text description fed to the image generator. Listeners submit their own prompts, upvote the ones that fit best, and the top-voted prompt drives the next regeneration. After 100 image votes, we make a new picture.

Fan-driven abstract illustration evoking the emotional arc of Sunbeams and Some Beans by Kimya Dawson
The prompt that made this image Editorial abstract illustration evoking the emotional arc of a song titled "Sunbeams and Some Beans" by Kimya Dawson. Calm throughout, barely shifting. balanced composition. Mood: calm, contemplative, intimate, warm. Visual style: 2000s digital editorial aesthetic. Painterly, grainy film texture, muted palette with strategic accent colors. The composition should read left-to-right like a timeline — calm on one side, intensifying toward the other. Strictly no faces, no text, no logos, no literal objects, no band imagery. Pure color-field abstraction with emotional weight. 16:9 editorial format.

Does this image fit the song?

0 agree · 0 not quite · 0/100 toward next regeneration

Prompts in the running for the next image

Upvote the prompts you think best capture the song. The top-voted prompt drives the next regeneration. Submit your own at the bottom.

"Editorial abstract illustration evoking the emotional arc of a song titled "Sunbeams and Some Beans" by Kimya Dawson. Calm throughout, barely shifting. balanced composition. Mood: calm, contemplative, intimate, warm. Visual style: 2000s digital editorial aesthetic. Painterly, grainy film texture, muted palette with strategic accent colors. The composition should read left-to-right like a timeline — calm on one side, intensifying toward the other. Strictly no faces, no text, no logos, no literal objects, no band imagery. Pure color-field abstraction with emotional weight. 16:9 editorial format."

— Music I Want (seed prompt)Current

No listener prompts yet. Be the first to submit one below.

How would you describe this song?

One or two sentences. Describe what the song feels like — a scene, a metaphor, a color, a place. Good descriptions are specific and sensory. Your submission becomes a candidate prompt that others can upvote.

Human-reviewed before it appears. Once live, others can upvote it.

Share: Share on X
Explore from this song · jump to the numbers · FAQ Find its sonic twinHidden gems like itDial itSongs like thisAll tools

Song DNA

Dynamic Range2/10
Sudden Changesnone
Texturesmooth
Predictabilityhigh
Vocal Stylesoft vocals
Notes: Lo-fi bedroom recording with intimate, understated vocals. Minimal instrumentation creates a calm, uncluttered soundscape with no jarring elements.

Misophonia Triggers

Mouth Soundsnone
Percussive Clicksnone
Breathing Soundsmild
Repetitive Micro-soundsnone

A gentle, lo-fi acoustic song featuring Kimya Dawson's characteristic bedroom-recorded style with soft, conversational vocals.

affiliate links

Hear it the way it was made

The right gear changes everything.

Moods: calm, contemplative, intimate, warm

Traditions: bedroom pop, indie folk, lo-fi

At a glance

"Sunbeams and Some Beans" by Kimya Dawson

85 BPM, dynamic range 2/10, smooth texture, soft vocals. Sits in the middle band — neither built for stillness nor pitched at workout intensity. Whether it works for a given moment depends more on mood and lyrical content than on the acoustic profile. The full sensory breakdown follows.

How this song sits on each sensory axis

A dynamic range of 2/10 places this song in the "steady volume" band. Loudness stays within a narrow window from start to finish — you won't be ambushed by a louder section if you set the volume at the opening.

Sudden changes: none. Transitions are musically signaled — nothing will surprise you if you're only half-listening.

Texture: smooth.

Predictability is high — the song telegraphs what it will do next. A sensory-sensitive listener can usually guess where it's going without close attention.

Vocal style: soft vocals.

Where this sits in Kimya Dawson's catalog

We have 9 songs from Kimya Dawson in the library. Of those, 8 are rated Safe, 1 Moderate, and 0 Intense. This song's dynamic range of 2/10 sits below the artist average of 3.7, making it the #9 most dynamic track of theirs in our library.

Other tracks from Alphabutt

We have 5 songs from this album. Overall, the album leans safe in sensory profile.

2008 context

Released in 2008. We have 259 songs from that year in our library, averaging a dynamic range of 6.4/10. This track is quieter / less dynamic than the year average. Explore more from the 2000s.

Explore by mood and tradition

Moods
calm · 1613contemplative · 3309intimate · 2271warm · 1489
Traditions
bedroom pop · 6indie folk · 245lo-fi · 64

Guides that may help

The Calmest Songs We’ve Ever Measured
Out of 19,144 songs scored for intensity, these measure as the very calmest — the gentlest, steadies…
Why Post-Rock Works for Focus — The Logic of Slow Builds
Why post-rock holds attention that slides off everything else: long builds, few sudden changes, and …
How to Build the Perfect Focus Playlist for Work — A Sensory-Rated Approach
How to Build the Perfect Focus Playlist for Work — A Sensory-Rated Approach — A guide for sensory-se…

How fast is "Sunbeams and Some Beans"?

85 BPM — Slow (downtempo / ballad)

For running

Too slow for most running; good for warm-up walks or cool-down.

For workouts

Warm-up, cool-down, yoga, stretching.

For daily life

Morning coffee, deep work, commute wind-down.

Browse more songs at 85 BPM.

When "Sunbeams and Some Beans" works, and when it doesn't

Use-case verdicts computed from the song's tempo, dynamics, and sensory profile.

Focus / studying

Yes — low-variance volume, no surprises, steady tempo. The ideal study-music profile.

Running / workout

No — 85 BPM is too slow for sustained cardio.

~
Sleep / winding down

Maybe — calm overall, but tempo is a bit high for deep sleep. Better for winding down than falling asleep.

Driving / road trip

Yes — predictable enough for safe driving attention, interesting enough to stay engaged.

Cooking / dinner background

Yes — sits in the background without demanding attention.

~
Emotional release / catharsis

Not really — it's pleasant but doesn't hit hard enough for cathartic listening.

Related reading

Editorial guides that cover this song's use cases, moods, or artist.

The Calmest Songs We’ve Ever Measured

Out of 19,144 songs scored for intensity, these measure as the very calmest — the gentlest, steadiest, lowest-energy music in the library. A…

Illustration for The 10 Calmest Albums Ever Recorded — A low-intensity Listening Guide

The 10 Calmest Albums Ever Recorded — A low-intensity Listening Guide

The 10 Calmest Albums Ever Recorded — A low-intensity Listening Guide — A guide for sensory-sensitive listeners on musiciwant.com

Illustration for Jazz for Anxiety Relief: Which Subgenres Help and Which Overwhelm

Jazz for Anxiety Relief: Which Subgenres Help and Which Overwhelm

Jazz for Anxiety Relief: Which Subgenres Help and Which Overwhelm — A guide for sensory-sensitive listeners on musiciwant.com

Why this rating

We rate this song Safe because its dynamic range stays within our low-variance band, there are no unsignaled changes, and the texture and vocal style are both in the low-fatigue range. Our methodology uses an AND rule for Safe — a song has to clear every dimension to earn the rating.

This song in the Music Studio
9/100 intensity

See how “Sunbeams and Some Beans” sits against your own sensitivities, or use it as a waypoint in a calmer set.

Check against my sensitivities → Build a calm set Analyze a playlist

Listen on

SpotifyYouTubeApple MusicTidalYouTube MusicDeezerAmazon Music

Spotify and YouTube links go direct to the track when we have the ID; otherwise they search for it. Embed this sensory profile on your site →

For calm, low-stimulation listening

Independently chosen tools listed on eBay. We may earn a commission from these links, at no extra cost to you.

Sleep Headphones Bluetooth Sleeping Headband - Sleeping Headphones Cozy Bands Sleep Headphones Bluetooth Sleeping Headband - Sleeping Headphon… $6.69 · New 2026 NEW Mini Earbuds Invisible Sleep Headphone Bluetooth 5.2 Earphones Wireless 2026 NEW Mini Earbuds Invisible Sleep Headphone Bluetooth 5.2 Ea… $12.59 · New White Noise Machine with Night Light 18 Soothing Sounds Portable Sleep Sound Mac White Noise Machine with Night Light 18 Soothing Sounds Portable… $16.49 · New TKGOU Portable Baby White Noise Machine 16 Sounds 30H USB-C Sleep Soother Travel TKGOU Portable Baby White Noise Machine 16 Sounds 30H USB-C Slee… $21.64 · New

Browse more sleep & bedtime on eBay →

Rating last reviewed: 2026-04-18. Reviewed by the Music I Want editorial team against the documented methodology.

Think this rating is wrong? Contact the editor — every message is read and ratings get revised.

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

This sits near the calm end of everything we've measured — gentler than 100% of the 19,209 songs in the library. Its intensity reading of 9/100 comes from a dynamic range of 2/10, smooth texture, no sudden shifts, and soft vocals. Relatively few songs occupy this exact corner of the spectrum.

What makes it unusual

What stands out most about this song is deep calm: more extreme on that axis than 100% 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

Sleep10/10
Focus9/10
Workout0/10
Dinner6/10
Party / hype0/10

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

2008 in context

The 259 songs we’ve measured from 2008 average a dynamic range of 6.4/10. At 2/10, this track is gentler and steadier than its year.

Mixes smoothly with

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

The fingerprint

Intensity9
Dynamics11
Tempo25
Surprise0
Density0
Predictability0
Vocal force25
Trigger load13

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

Frequently asked about "Sunbeams and Some Beans"

Quick answers pulled from the song's sensory analysis.

What is the BPM of "Sunbeams and Some Beans" by Kimya Dawson?

"Sunbeams and Some Beans" by Kimya Dawson has a tempo of 85 BPM (Andante (walking pace)). At half-time that is 43 BPM, and at double-time 170 BPM.

What is the sensory intensity of "Sunbeams and Some Beans" by Kimya Dawson?

"Sunbeams and Some Beans" by Kimya Dawson rates as Low-Intensity. Dynamic range 2/10, no sudden changes, smooth texture. Our Low-Intensity rating means no single dimension triggers the higher-intensity thresholds.

How loud is "Sunbeams and Some Beans" — what is its dynamic range?

"Sunbeams and Some Beans" has a dynamic range of 2/10. This places it in the steady-volume band — loudness stays within a narrow window start to finish.

Does "Sunbeams and Some Beans" have sudden or surprising changes?

No. "Sunbeams and Some Beans" has no sudden unsignaled changes. Every transition is musically telegraphed.

What is "Sunbeams and Some Beans" best for?

In our library "Sunbeams and Some Beans" is recommended for: anxiety relief, deep listening, focus, relaxation, sleep. These tags are assigned only where the song's sensory profile genuinely supports the use case.

When was "Sunbeams and Some Beans" released?

"Sunbeams and Some Beans" is from 2008, on the album "Alphabutt". It appears in our 2000s catalog.

What is the emotional mood of "Sunbeams and Some Beans"?

We tag "Sunbeams and Some Beans" as calm, contemplative, intimate, warm. Moods are tonal descriptors based on how the song reads emotionally — separate from the sensory intensity axes.

What is the vocal style of "Sunbeams and Some Beans"?

The vocal style is soft vocals.

Is "Sunbeams and Some Beans" good for running?

Not really — at 85 BPM it's below most running cadences. Better for warm-up, cool-down, or walking. Recreational runners typically step at 140-175 BPM.

Is "Sunbeams and Some Beans" good for studying?

Yes — low dynamic range (2/10) and no sudden changes means the song stays in the background without pulling focus.

Can I use "Sunbeams and Some Beans" for sleep?

Yes — it clears every sleep-music criterion: low intensity, minimal dynamic range, no surprises. Use as a wind-down or sleep-playlist anchor.

Should I listen to "Sunbeams and Some Beans"?

If you want gentle, low-arousal music, "Sunbeams and Some Beans" is a solid pick — Low-Intensity across every sensory dimension.

Songs with the same DNA

smooth texture, similar intensity — across any genre or era.

Carousel
Iron & Wine
safe
DR 3
My Juvenile
Björk
safe
DR 3
May Ninth
Khruangbin
safe
DR 3
Star Me Kitten
R.E.M.
safe
DR 3
Still Beating
Mac DeMarco
safe
DR 3
Our House
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
safe
DR 3

What this song means to people

No stories yet. Be the first.

Share what this song means to you

Keep exploring

My Rollercoaster
Kimya Dawson safe
Tire Swing
Kimya Dawson safe
Smoothie
Kimya Dawson safe
Play the Game
Queen moderate
Ride
The Vines moderate
Mister Man
Culture Club moderate
Where to next?

You know how this one feels — now go find the next one.

Songs that feel like this → Dial it calmer or bigger Find music by how you feel
← All Kimya Dawson songs    Check another song →