“Music is well said to be the speech of Angels…”
~ Thomas Carlyle ~
Every now and then I stumble upon a fragment in a song in which everything magically seem to fall together. Moments of musical brilliance of singer, composer or artist where a perfect blend of sound and vocals fills me with hope and opportunity. Fragments that make the good kind of chills run down my spine. Have you ever experienced similar moments of sounds that launch you into that instant dimension of bliss? Those fragments that crack the boundary between earthly and the ethereal, creating a direct connection to something magical? I like to think of these snapshots of sound, as fragments in which the artists touches onto the divine.
These fragments (after realizing which have that specific and profound effect on me) I can listen to over and over and over again. Having me exhale in awe, thankful that these diamonds of genius have been put out in the world for us to relish. As a balm to the senses, food to the soul. Pieces that free, and have the power to heal.
Experiencing these moments through music is something that I have been aware of for years, but only since I started writing on Mind Stories, has the idea emerged to try and capture some of them within the written word. I’m quite aware that my interpretations of those fragments, are purely subjective, since taste in music is so very personal. I recall however, a conversation with a close friend back in high-school. He mentioned to me having similar experiences while listening to certain songs. And since I honestly don’t know if my experiences will at all translate to others, I figured I’d just put it out there and see…
If anything, you might learn about the existence of a song you didn’t know existed and end up liking.
So here’s another descriptive take (as done before in Embracing Synth-pop; 80’s Revived! ) on capturing musical fragments which move me, open my chest and fill my heart.
I invite you to quiet your mind, tune out all other noise and tune into a music streaming service. Create your own musical bubble, and travel with me into sound.
Oh, and be warned.. It’s about to get real Pop, real fast.
This is example is probably my earliest experience of discovering a divine fragment that really touched me. Stickwitu, a soulful ballad and second single released by the PCD, has been dubbed as a track ‘unlike anything else heard on the air‘ at the time. Up until the first half, I find the song to be nice, gentle, somewhat catchy, sure, but not all that impressive. However, with the initiation of the vocal part of the bridge, front-lady Nicole Scherzinger procures a melody so tender and sweet, it truly feels like listening to the voice of an angel. Picking up at 1:48 up until the end of the bridge at 2:11, the emphasized words now, now (though it sounds like she’s singing I) and you, are so deliciously delicate. Her second follow up phrase “I’m singing cause you’re so, so into me”, she skillfully layers with emotion. The whole song, but especially those 23 seconds, feel like a hand delivered pink gift-box, wrapped with silver ribbons, sprinkled with candy-hearts doused in valentine-esque sweetness. Maybe this song stuck with me because it came out in 2005, when I was 16 years of age and going through the physiological roller coaster of adolescence, and the ladies of PCD are all stunning creatures. In case you forgot, or are wondering; just have a look at the video, especially the bridge… where Nicole is sitting by herself on the metal staircase while singing and looking absolutely gorgeous. Play this track, as the ultimate-swoon-song for your partner upcoming Valentines.
Waving through a window – Owl City
Multi-instrumentalist Adam Young. This guy… I’m such a big fan of his work. Owl City has several songs that really pluck on my heartstrings. Some of his songs have served as loyal friends when I was going through some rough times. I think him a truly gifted artist. Besides his leading role in Owl City, he has made a dozen Scores (which you can find on here), wherewith he takes the listener on melodic journeys through specific historical events, ranging from the sinking of Titanic, to the first summit of Mt. Everest. He composed and directed all this music, and is supported by a full orchestra. I’m simply in awe of the amount of effort and feeling that has gone into this project.
I remember when me and my brother were young, and having a keyboard at home. It had this small lever-switch just right next to the keys, which you could flick to the left and right. If you played a note simultaneously to whacking this little lever, the note would bend. This is a feat that Adam Young uses in his music quite a bit. Check out an example in the video of his beautiful single “Not all heroes wear capes”, in which he does this very skillfully in the bridge (2:57 – 3:20). Oh, and watch him play 5 or 6 different instruments in the process. This guy…
The magical fragment that I’ll describe as the part of the essence of this entry though, interestingly, is not from one of his own songs, but a cover. It’s a track from the musical Dear Evan Hansen. It happens during the bridge of the song “Waving through a window”. The suspense of the song builds with an intricate keyboard melody and brief burst of sound by the string-instruments. Right after Adam for the first time, softly speaks the line “When you’re falling in a forest, and there’s nobody around, do you ever really crash or even make a sound?” a wave of warm bass washes over, in which he then plays high toned, mystical, mesmerizing melody on his synthesizer. It is in this melodic part where he bends the pitch of several notes in such fashion that I can only describe as pure genius (2:32).
I was walking in a park in Manchester when I discovered this track, and when I heard that specific melody, I simply gasped for air. Till this day I find that piece of recording so very mesmerizing, it still makes me shake my head in disbelief of its beauty. It takes me straight into to a far-away world of colorful, mystical forests. Hmm…
Oh Adorable Camila…
Tiny, bubbly, gorgeous powerhouse Camila. In the beautiful verse, brief burst of clear sound, underlain with rumbling bass notes in combination with the melody and her voice creates the visual image reminiscent of a water-dancer. The sound of her falsetto exhales (ah, ah, ah, ah) in the background build the suspense towards the chorus. In the pre-chorus, most instruments fall silent. Then, when the fourth chord of the warm pipe organ scheme is abruptly cut short, she sings the last pre-chorus phrase “And it’s the kind of thing I always hoped I’d…. Find” (3.15).
This last word, “Find“ , she belts out with such fierce power, which she then halfway through gorgeously transforms it into a falsetto. From loud, power, strength, into delicate, fragile and beautiful within a single breath. Within a single word. I’m wowed by this little diamond, and the fact that she’s still so young. This example illustrates a maturity in her singing. I have looked up several live versions of the song, and found she’s able to beautifully reproduce the same sound, as it appears on the record. Especially her performance on (New Music Daily) is great. In deciding on that specific melody, she and the writers truly managed to capture a moment of greatness. Oh, and give the bridge which follows a good listen too (“All I know is you, heal me when I’m broken”).
Oh my, that sweetness…
It was the while hiking the PCT, on the day I hiked out from Mammoth Lakes, that I learned about the existence of this song. Leaving my hiker buddies for a solo session to stay on the official trail, where they briefly joined the John Muir Trail for a (supposedly) more scenic route. I’d been hiking in solitude for almost the entire day, slowly progressing along the mountain flank, the deep and impressive valley separating the Pacific Crest Trail and the John Muir Trail as my major view for the day. Not sure how, but with cell service and Spotify on, I learned about Selena’s new single, and this gem of a fragment took me by surprise:
In the second verse, she sings the line:
“ What’s the point in hiding? Everybody knows we got unfinished business.
Which she then follows up with the following sentence:
And I’lI regret it if I didn’t say this isn’t what it could be… “
uttered almost like a whisper. It sounds so immaculately effortless. The cadence of that phrase… I’ve never heard anything like it in a song before. Such a unique sound. It is requires the use of very subtle articulation. I almost associate it with rap, but I just think it too pretty, too gentle, too delicate to bear that label. Brilliant use of lyrics however, causing a chill to run down my back… I think the rest of the song is awesome too.
If that’s too much Pop for your taste, check out this gnarly cover by post hardcore band Our Last Night, who transformed the song to something with definite grit.
Be warned though; those drums will kick your adrenaline levels up.
Such a sweet and tender song. It’s the guitar solo during the instrumental section which is beautiful in its simplicity. It fits the track well. Honest and gorgeous. Starting at 1:17, it tells a story of its own. Check out the live version too. Such a warm setting. The lead guitarist (who looks a lot like Mark Knopfler…) knows what’s up.
That’s it for this entry. There’s more Divine Melodies in the works however, so…
to be continued…
Be light!
Love Joris
