I disagree with the assessment that if melody calls for active listening that rhythm somehow does not. It really depends on the listener and what they value.
There was a time when I might have agreed with you. That was before I learned to play drums.
Or "Peter" from Holderlin's Traum: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGn6nLaTfqU&feature=youtu.be...
Out of curiosity, could you recommend some bands with very good drums ? One that springs to mind is Guru Guru. When I stop to think about it it seems it's the drums that seal the deal for me, in many tracks. And Embryo, especially on Embryo's Rache.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yVWmeFM3-Y
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIUlh8qweAc
Something more western - Mastadon - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwgqenxNUfs
(What about non-lyrical music? I'm not sure. The research literature on music interfering/non-interfering with cognition is old, large, and highly equivocal in my impression: https://www.gwern.net/Music-distraction )
Link? :)
Here is an instrumental Funk playlist on Spotify that I have been passively listening to: https://open.spotify.com/user/spotify/playlist/37i9dQZF1DX8f...
I think my adventure started with very generic youtube queries for 'afro' or something like that. Then I stumbled upon Black Merda:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHSFsWZM1Gk&list=RDLHSFsWZM1... ... and I already liked psychedelic / krautrock.
But it turned out Black Merda is on a very long playlist itself, a playlist I'm disturbingly compatible with !
I'm far from even the half of the playlist, but some of my favorites (other than Black Merda which is awesome): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q59ZZtiLgYU&list=RDLHSFsWZM1...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubyOg-K62co&list=RDLHSFsWZM1...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6lDGgs7jAc&list=RDLHSFsWZM1...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaRhetAoqEw
Watermelon Man https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FzNpto-jnU&t=1164s
The Variations - Saying It Doing It https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OQl4WTkWTc&t=2549s
Only this track, really: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gXrS6eKfjk&t=841s
Plus, there's the joy of hearing silly things like "Back when Dinosaurs ruled the Earth there was a disco not many people knew about." I didn't have so much fun since planet Gong.
I also got some nice recommendations from listening Sisters of Mercy, including Billy Idol. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAZQaYKZMTI And I'm amazed how underrated Max Sedgley is. Must be the last name. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugEgKA24dig Makes me want hone my Inkscape skills.
I think Funk and related genres are particularly suited for tasks that demand concentration. Funk de-emphasises melody in favor of rhythm. Melody calls for "active" listening. Funk is at the same time predictable and varied. I spend very little time clicking "next track". For me it's very stimulating listening.
So, a problem that could potentially be solved by neuroscience research and programmers (I understand this is interesting in itself) has been solved by good old playlists for me. And experimentation (trying new music).