From what I've listened to over the
years, I'd say that instrumentals are far far better for setting a mood than any vocal. And for one thing, you
don't want the distraction of trying to make out the words... Then again some musinc in a foreign language none of
you understands may be just fine, especially if the "tone" of the language suits the mood. (Think chants in
Latin).
Of course the tempo etc of the music should match your intent. It's pretty well acknowledged that
stirring marches can excite people and quiet slow-tempoed music can have a calming effect.
One of the more
"famous" makeout cuts is Ravel's "Bolero," so you might want to check that out as an example. As cheesy as it
sounds, also check out things like the old Montovani albums, or 101 Strings, the "Classic" composers (sometimes the
"old" stuff is the best), soundtracks from romantic movies, or similar. A number of libraries let you check out CDs
cheap or free.
Bookmarks