Short Version:
Music is a pretty good thing. Now-days most people work to or with music on (shout out to headphone technology and streaming), these are the four songs/albums that 90% of my work is done listening to:1). We Flood Empty Lakes — Yindi Halda 2). Shelter — Porter Robinson & Madeon 3). Welcome Home — Radical Face 4). Oh No (Live from the royal Albert Hall) — Bring Me The Horizon
Long Version:
When streaming services such as Apple Music and Spotify first emerged it changed my relationship to music. I was always (and still am) an album guy, I like to buy an album and listen to it all the way through on repeat for about a month + then move onto a new album or explore an old one again. This was a really fun way of listening and appreciating music especially because I would buy the album….yes I know, I was one of those people who actually paid for music — rare ;).
But with streaming services, everything literally everything was just there and the price/payment barrier was removed. So kid in the candy store I downloaded more music then I could ever listen to and stopped going through the album and experiencing the story/journey of the songs.
Hating the pre made playlist crap that the streaming services push i’ve returned to my album listening ways after my initial splurge and these are the four songs (and albums, these are just the picks of those albums for me, and yes I do realise that one of those songs is from a single) that have stood the test of my listening time and are constantly revisisted, especially when doing work.
I’d have to estimate that 90% of all emails, pitch decks, advertising materials, plans, strategy papers and general fluffing around I do is done with their influences. So big thanks to Yindi Halda, Porter and Madeon, Radical Face & Be Me The Horizon for your beautiful contributions. Below is the list again with a little blurb about the song and the honourable mentions list!
1). We Flood Empty Lakes — Yindi Halda.We Flood Empty Lakes is an instrumental by a band that are a fusion of rock and folk. It almost plays itself twice with similar build ups and bridges. It reminds me a lot of a movie, great start, big middle scene, similar build up to the ending but then POW a great ending.
I first heard this song on a fuelTV commercial in 2009 and we have been friends ever since.
Shelter Album Cover
2). Shelter — Porter Robinson & Madeon.Shelter was the first release from friends Porter Robinson and Madeon. Both Porter and Madeon appear to be on a mission to take EDM to new heights, most notable Porter removed a number of his early releases earlier this year un-happy that he had released that music. Shelter was a huge hit and was then accompanied by an amazing short animation film. It will never not put me in a good mode or help me crack on with what I am doing.
Radical Face Album Cover
3). Welcome Home — Radical Face.Yes, it is totally that song from those Nikon camera commercials! I heard this song whilst looking at the album cover and the sound of the bells and wind followed by that progressive guitar riff make you feel as if you are one of those birds flying away. Ben (the guy behind Radical Face) captures a sound in this track that I don’t think I could ever tire of, it is the sound of his surroundings and wow is it perfect.
Bring Me The Horizon Live at the Albert Hall Album Cover
4). Oh No (Live from the royal Albert Hall) — Bring Me The HorizonYou find me another metal band that can play with a 47-piece symphony orchestra plus a 14 person choir and sound that good I will send you a dollar (seriously!). Oh No, is the final track from the live album. The song is a deep look into addiction but also the recovery. The line “Don’t call it a party, ‘cause it never stops” talks straight to the slippery slope of addiction, a theme all too relevant for lead singer Oli (now clean). The performance that the guys put on alongside the Parallax Orchestra and conductor Simon Dobson took both metal and live music to a new height. Hearing the crowd chant the chorus ‘OoooOhhhhh Noooooo’ as the songs finishes is one of the most powerful goosebump producing sounds I have heard and in those 9 minutes I am truly in a flow state like no other.
Honourable mentions (albums and songs):
1). Porter Robinson — Worlds Album & Language single2). Wolves — Phosphorescent, song3). The Gray Chapter — Slipknot, Album4). When you’re Through Thinking, Say Yes (acoustic) — Yellow Card5). Mellon Collie And the Infinite Sadness — Album