"Editorial abstract illustration evoking the emotional arc of a song titled "Ashtray Wasp" by Burial. Dramatic quiet-to-loud arc, stormy climax. dense layered composition, atmospheric complexity. Mood: contemplative, dreamy, intense, introspective, paranoid. Visual style: contemporary 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."
Real momentum, more energetic than 84% of our 19,209 measured songs — measures out best for workout.
120
BPM
Ashtray Wasp by Burial is 120 BPM — Allegro (fast).
Half-time 60 BPM · Double-time 240 BPM · released 2012
Fan image for "Ashtray Wasp"
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Song DNA
Notes: An 11-minute paranoid epic layered with pulsating grooves, tingling arpeggios, and disorienting shifts between ethereal synth passages and dense, abrasive textures. The track creates a discomfiting hollow in the mix through field recordings and aqueous synths that evoke a flooded cave system.
Misophonia Triggers
Recommended for: deep listening focus meditation
A sprawling, paranoid electronic composition that weaves multiple melodic motifs and emotional variations through constantly shifting arrangements before dissolving into vinyl static and decaying voices.
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Moods: contemplative, dreamy, intense, introspective, paranoid
Traditions: ambient, dubstep, electronic
Intense — what to expect
"Ashtray Wasp" is in our intense band.
At least one of our five sensory dimensions crosses the threshold that means "this can be a lot." Most commonly: instrumental or complex texture, or a dynamic range of 8/10. The full breakdown is below. If you arrived here looking for a calmer alternative, our use-case verdicts section flags songs with similar mood but lower intensity.
How this song sits on each sensory axis
A dynamic range of 8/10 is in the upper band of our library. This song has a significant quiet-to-loud arc. For sensory-sensitive listening, set the opening volume well below your comfortable top-end; the climax will land harder than the intro suggests.
Sudden changes: present. This song uses surprise as a feature. For focus or background listening, it's likely to pull your attention away; for active listening, that's often the point.
Texture: complex.
Predictability is low — this song does not follow standard verse-chorus form closely, and rewards active listening more than passive listening.
Vocal style: instrumental.
Where this sits in Burial's catalog
We have 21 songs from Burial in the library. Of those, 3 are rated Safe, 13 Moderate, and 5 Intense. This song's dynamic range of 8/10 sits above the artist average of 6.0, making it the #2 most dynamic track of theirs in our library.
Other tracks from Kindred EP
We have 2 songs from this album. Overall, the album leans moderate in sensory profile.
- Kindred — moderate DR 7
2012 context
Released in 2012. We have 262 songs from that year in our library, averaging a dynamic range of 6.5/10. This track is about average than the year average. Explore more from the 2010s.
Explore by mood and tradition
Guides that may help
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…
Why Video Game Soundtracks Are Perfect for Focus and Study
Why Video Game Soundtracks Are Perfect for Focus and Study — A guide for sensory-sensitive listeners…
How fast is "Ashtray Wasp"?
120 BPM — Upbeat (dance-pop / running warm-up)
For running
Slow jog or recovery run pace. Matches a 120-140 stride-per-minute cadence.
For workouts
Steady cardio, power walking, light weights.
For daily life
Driving, getting ready in the morning, light party.
Browse more songs at 120 BPM.
When "Ashtray Wasp" works, and when it doesn't
Use-case verdicts computed from the song's tempo, dynamics, and sensory profile.
✗
Focus / studying
No — too dynamic or too many surprises. Save for active listening.
✓
Running / workout
Yes — 120 BPM sits squarely in the running / cardio band. Matches natural stride cadence.
✗
Sleep / winding down
No — contains elements that will keep an awake nervous system engaged.
~
Driving / road trip
Maybe — the intensity / sudden changes are fine for solo highway driving but skip for city or rainy-weather driving.
✗
Cooking / dinner background
No — too active to function as background; will pull attention away from what you're doing.
✓
Emotional release / catharsis
Yes — this is a song for actively feeling what you came to feel, not for background.
Related reading
Editorial guides that cover this song's use cases, moods, or artist.
Electronic Music Sensory Guide: From Ambient to Industrial
Electronic Music Sensory Guide: From Ambient to Industrial — A guide for sensory-sensitive listeners on musiciwant.com
Why lo-fi study beats might be lying to you
Lo-fi hip hop is the default focus soundtrack for millions, but the science is messier than the marketing. Why it can quietly hurt deep work…
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
Why this rating
We rate this song Intense. Our rule is deliberately conservative: any one of high dynamic range, present sudden changes, harsh texture, or a strained/screamed vocal is enough to trigger Intense on its own. Full scoring rubric: methodology.
This song in the Music Studio
64/100 intensity
See how “Ashtray Wasp” sits against your own sensitivities, or use it as a waypoint in a calmer set.
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Rating last reviewed: 2026-04-14. 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 is one of the more intense things in our library — more energetic than 84% of the 19,209 songs we've measured. Its intensity reading of 64/100 comes from a dynamic range of 8/10, complex texture, moderate shifts, and instrumental. Relatively few songs occupy this exact corner of the spectrum.
What makes it unusual
What stands out most about this song is blazing intensity: more extreme on that axis than 84% of everything we've measured. At the far opposite end of the library sit the songs built on near-total stillness — steady volume, no surprises, a slow and unhurried pulse — the kind of track this one is the counterpoint to.
Feels almost identical to
MARCHROMT30a Edit 2b 96 — Aphex Twin · 94%Cluster — Cluster · 93%Jacquard Causeway — Boards of Canada · 92%Ronin — Sturgill Simpson · 90%
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
Sleep0/10
Focus4/10
Workout7/10
Dinner6/10
Party / hype7/10
Scored from this song’s tempo, intensity, dynamics and texture — not crowd votes.
2012 in context
The 262 songs we’ve measured from 2012 average a dynamic range of 6.5/10. 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
Intensity64
Dynamics78
Tempo44
Surprise50
Density60
Predictability100
Vocal force0
Trigger load50
The 8-dimension measurement behind every rating on this page.
Frequently asked about "Ashtray Wasp"
Quick answers pulled from the song's sensory analysis.
What is the BPM of "Ashtray Wasp" by Burial?
"Ashtray Wasp" by Burial has a tempo of 120 BPM (Allegro (fast)). At half-time that is 60 BPM, and at double-time 240 BPM.
What is the sensory intensity of "Ashtray Wasp" by Burial?
"Ashtray Wasp" by Burial rates as Intense. Dynamic range 8/10, moderate sudden changes, complex texture, instrumental vocal style. Any one of high dynamic range, present sudden changes, or harsh texture triggers the Intense rating.
How loud is "Ashtray Wasp" — what is its dynamic range?
"Ashtray Wasp" has a dynamic range of 8/10. Substantial quiet-to-loud arc. Start at a volume well below your top-end; the climax will land harder than the intro suggests.
Does "Ashtray Wasp" have sudden or surprising changes?
Yes. "Ashtray Wasp" uses surprise as a compositional feature. Expect unsignaled transitions.
What is "Ashtray Wasp" best for?
In our library "Ashtray Wasp" is recommended for: deep listening, focus, meditation. These tags are assigned only where the song's sensory profile genuinely supports the use case.
When was "Ashtray Wasp" released?
"Ashtray Wasp" is from 2012, on the album "Kindred EP". It appears in our 2010s catalog.
What is the emotional mood of "Ashtray Wasp"?
We tag "Ashtray Wasp" as contemplative, dreamy, intense, introspective, paranoid. Moods are tonal descriptors based on how the song reads emotionally — separate from the sensory intensity axes.
What is the vocal style of "Ashtray Wasp"?
The vocal style is instrumental.
Is "Ashtray Wasp" good for running?
Yes — at 120 BPM it sits in the running-cadence band (120-180 BPM). Match your stride to the beat and it keeps pace with most recreational runners.
Is "Ashtray Wasp" good for studying?
Only partially. The song's dynamic range (8/10) means there will be loud moments that break focus during deep work.
Can I use "Ashtray Wasp" for sleep?
Not recommended for sleep. Too intense overall.
Should I listen to "Ashtray Wasp"?
"Ashtray Wasp" is Intense in our ratings — dramatic dynamics, possible sudden changes, or strong vocal or textural energy. Best with intention rather than ambient use. If you are sensory-sensitive, the alternatives section surfaces calmer songs in the same mood family.
Songs with the same DNA
complex texture, similar intensity — across any genre or era.
Safer alternatives with a similar feel
These songs share similar moods but with a gentler sensory profile.
What this song means to people
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Where to next?
You know how this one feels — now go find the next one.