Binaural Beats Freak Awards: Top 10 Downloads 2017

Are you a binaural beats freak? I certainly am, as you've probably guessed by now.

I have been doing this awards ceremony since 2012 under the name Binaural Beats Freak Awards. It's a kind of trainspotters award chart for BB enthusiasts looking for the latest and most effective music.

The downloads in this chart have been tried and tested by me. I use all the music in this list.

To gain eligibility to the awards, a download must meet 6 specific requirements:

1. High quality recording  – 320 Kbps
2. 30 minutes or more in length
3. Powerful: does what it says on the box
4. Reasonably priced
5. Solid customer after care support
6. Must not make any unscientific or ludicrous claim (like “this will make you taller”)

The order of the list isn't wholly relevant because each track is generally designed for a different purpose . So here are the winners for 2017.

Binaural Beats Freak Awards 2017

1. BBM – Deep Meditation

Deep Meditation is simply an amazing recording. The way the soundscape is layered is like nothing I've heard before and it truly is a masterpiece.

The recording leads you into a serene setting of ohm breaths and gentle notes, drawing you deeper into meditation by using surround sound positioning to place ambient effects in different areas of your headspace.

If you meditate regularly, this is great companion for your sessions. And for anyone looking for some time away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life this track is the perfect escape.

2. Ennora – Perfect Sleep

For all you insomniacs out there, here's a 100% natural remedy. These guys don't do things by halves, and they rarely release new stuff, but when they do it is damn good and stands the test of time.

Perfect Sleep is a trip man! It is awesome for winding down and switching off that mental narrative that spirals out of control when you're just preparing for sleep. It literally numbs your brain from the get go by using long, hypnotizing pads and dreamy sounds to pull you into tiredness. Brilliant stuff.

3. Brain Sync – Positive Thinking

This is a spacious, tranquil recording from Kelly Howell of Brain Sync. It's really uplifting and positive, and wholly conducive to putting you in the right frame of mind for prosperity.

As well as binaural frequencies, it uses subliminal messaging to impact your sense of self, your creativity and the dynamic expression of your power in the world. If you are hindered by negative thoughts or feeling a bit down in the dumps at the moment, add this to your collection.

4. BBM – Memory Enhancer

Last year, BBM released a newcomer to their catalogue called Memory Enhancer. This is a Gamma zone recording that helps you absorb, retain and recall information.

This super recording prevents memory decline and mild cognitive impairment as you age. It is also layered with blissful music that makes it a joy to listen to.

This has fast become one of my favorites and is in my regular listening schedule while I work.

A quick warning though: Do not listen to this if you want to go to sleep anytime soon.

5. iAwake – Deep Delta

Again something for sleep, I've been using this quite recently and found it very soothing. Sometimes I use it for an afternoon nap. I will just stick my headphones on, lie down and drift off for a while.

It has a real space travel type feel to it; a kind of epic but calm floating sensation takes over as you move through the galaxies. Some of the iAwake stuff can be a bit bland, effective but bland, but this is very cool and is well engineered. You can feel the delta entrainment very quickly.

6. Unexplainable Store – Motivation Pack

Everyone needs a bit of motivation from time to time, and this classic pack from the Unexplainable Store is a great value pick me up.

There are 4 downloads in this pack comprising an hour's worth of listening, each one covering a different area of motivation; Achievement, Single Point Focus, Concentration, and Peak Performance.

As I have mentioned before, Unexplainable store is touch and go on quality at times, largely because they produce too much (in my opinion), but having riffled through much of the catalogue in recent years I can confirm this is a winner. It certainly gets me in the “doing zone”!

7. BBM – Creativity Boost

In my spare time I make music, write, read lots and spend time contemplating existence, so creativity is a big part of my life. But hell knows we all suffer writer's block at times. We lose our creative edge in the wake of life's mundane responsibilities and superficial callings.

No worries, Stick this inspiration track on and let the Theta waves wash over your mind and unlock new ideas and creative visions.

It's a beautiful piece of music too. it's really relaxing and inspiring, quite spiritual in a way, what with the waterfall ambience and warm pads that wrap you up and release piano droplets that dance through your neurons!

8. Ennora – Stress Release

Classic Ennora, this harps back to a similar vibe to their Astral Projection track that caused waves among BWE enthusiasts back in 2010. It has that mystical edge to it that really carries you away and delivers you again.

It's a rebirth of sorts that picks you up, dusts you down, soothes you and then releases you feeling light as a feather.

The music is very deep. Simple on the surface, but once you lose yourself in the soundscape you notice all these gentle effects and alluring sounds deep in the rabbit hole.

It is by all accounts wonderfully relaxing and powerful. Ideal for releasing tension, stress and feelings of unease.

9. BBM – Spiritual Awakening

Wow, the instrumentation on this track is special. Natural ambience, mystical pads, reverberating hang drum, subtle bird calls, running water: I love it.

Is there a better way to connect with higher spiritual awareness, probably, but I doubt it's legal! Spiritual Awakening is wholly liberating. It frees you from the physical world, bringing you back to that place of oneness where you feel just content to be.

Whether Buddhist, Christian, Muslim or other, Spiritual Awakening raises your vibration and puts you in tune with the creator. A very special musical journey for connecting mind, body and soul with the core of the earth.

10. BBM – Chill Pill 

Yes, again, they get another on the list. To be fair, 90% of their catalogue would make my list and they've managed to nick 5 spots this year. The music they produce is  premium quality. The instrumentation, the sound design, the mix downs.

And they don't just tune the binaural beats for entrainment, they tune the music too. For example, Chill Pill is tuned to 528 hz, which is associated with clarity of mind, awareness and deep inner peace.

You may have heard stories about binaural beats giving you a natural high, a little bit like smoking marijuana  well this is one of those recordings. Chill Pill does what it says on the tin, chills you out to the max.

Featuring one of my favourite instruments, the Native flute, Chill Pill remains one of my lethal weapons for days when work, people, or both, get me highly strung out.

Stick your headphones on and sink into total chill mode. No dope required, just this Mp3!

Binaural Beats Freak 2017 Award Summary

This year is dominated by the BinauralBeatsMeditation.com brand, having gone from strength to strength this year with new and updated music.

Ennora an almost equal second, taking 2 spots on the chart, one with their new Stress Release track — but it would be nice to see more from them in the coming year as new music has been slow to emerge in past times.

Additions from Brain Sync and iAwake are pleasing to see too, both trustworthy stores too with solid catalogues and good customer service. Unexplainable Store only managed one spot this year, quite simply because the quality of BBM edged out the competition.

As an enthusiast, I've seen a definite shift in the past 2 years, with some of the early big industry players unable to keep pace with the emerging quality for younger, more vibrant and technologically skilled producers.

The production quality is getting much better, the effectiveness of the combination of the binaural beats and the musical composition is finally being measured and designed based on testing by the companies in my list, rather than some of the old outfits (and YouTube producers) who throw any old music over a binaural beat and rely on marketing to sell the product.

The industry is coming of age. We are seeing real quality emerging.