Recently, the playlist has been driven by words - by lyric - by the articulation of vowels and consonants to give voice to a story. And that’s a good thing - there’s an infinite number of stories out there and words are a great tool to understand and make sense of them.
But, to my mind - whether you prefer the Sumerian Ziggurat or Christian Tower of Babel myth - the fact that we don’t all understand the same words is a real bummer. I’d love to be able to listen to songs from China, from Spain, from Russia from everywhere and go on the same journey that a skilled lyricist in English can take me.
But thankfully - there is one Universal Language - Music.
While the data is still a little obscure there are some studies that point to the perception of emotions in music to be multi-cultural. Certainly the popular music of today is more homogenous across Western and Eastern cultures - which is a great thing if you’re in favor of us all getting to know each other better.
This playlist started with instrumental music - specifically solo piano that was written from the grief experienced through the loss of a beloved family member. And while we feature probably more songs with lyrics, I’m always on the lookout for great instrumentals that can move you and evoke the essence of grief and sadness.
Shipwreck is one of those tracks that stands out from the first notes - the blend of melody and harmony have me falling into deep reflection. It creates that perfect space where you can be still enough to let the memories wash over you and experience them for what they are. It’s a hauntingly beautiful track.
Here’s what Marcos had to say about its origin:
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About the Curator - Andrew McCluskey
The first visual memory I have is that of the white upright piano in Singapore, Hell and the Dark Forces lived at the bottom, Heaven and the Angels at the top, they would play battles through my fingers and I was hooked.
As a psychology graduate I studied how sound affects human performance.
As a musician I compose instrumental music that stimulates your brain but doesn't mess with your language centers, leaving you free to be creative and brilliant without distraction.
As a curator I research how music can improve your life and create flow - I can tell you what music to listen to when studying for a test and why listening to sad music can make you feel better.
As the founder of musicto I’m on a mission to inspire a global audience of music lovers and artists through the development of people powered playlists.
Latest Posts
Don’t Give Up – Peter Gabriel
24 September 2022
What’s the point?
You ever find yourself asking that?
The point of this playlist is to bring succor to people who are grieving. That’s it. We listen to and feature songs that we hope people can resonate with and perhaps elicit a cathartic release – at the very least – to help them feel less alone…
Strange Beauty – First Aid Kit
18 September 2022
It’s still September. We’re still talking about Suicide. We’re doing this because the experts tell us that the more we talk about it – the more we bring it into the open – the less likely it is that people will go through with it.
And yet – people still do…
Open Letter – Mr. Phelps
11 September 2022
So it’s September – and for the Grieve To list – that means our thoughts turn to suicide.
Yep – if you didn’t know – September is Suicide Awareness Month – it’s also National Suicide Prevention Month and in fact right now – between the 8th and the 14th – it’s actually National Suicide Prevention Week. If you are in any doubt as to the impact suicide has on society – spend a minute here: Suicide Statistics – the rate inches up every year – and as a middle aged white male – well – I’m slap bang in the highest risk group…
Andrew McCluskey
The first visual memory I have is that of the white upright piano in Singapore, Hell and the Dark Forces lived at the bottom, Heaven and the Angels at the top, they would play battles through my fingers and I was hooked.
As a psychology graduate I studied how sound affects human performance.
As a musician I compose instrumental music that stimulates your brain but doesn't mess with your language centers, leaving you free to be creative and brilliant without distraction.
As a curator I research how music can improve your life and create flow - I can tell you what music to listen to when studying for a test and why listening to sad music can make you feel better.
As a creator / contributor at musicto I’m part of a global creator community that collaborates through music. You can learn more about our community here.