Andrew
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 write creatively 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 believe that music can make the world better.
What I'm doing nowPlaylists
Mad World – Tears For Fears
7 March 2017
Submitted by the team at Solace Club – here’s what they do:
We offer people who are dealing with grief a care package designed by a psychologist to help make their journey in grief a little less painful. For example, our triage box has many items to help with the physical symptoms of grief in the early stages such as nausea, difficulties with sleep, forgetfulness.
Night Call – London Grammer
24 February 2017
If I had to choose between this and Kavinsky’s original version – 9 times out of 10 I’d go with his Daft Punk inspired 80’s overdose of synths and vocoders – but that’s because I’m a generally happy dude. But – when I’m hurting and everything’s shit – I’m choosing this stripped down haunting female vocal and I’m going to drink to it!
Purity – Konzentration Akademie
24 February 2017
I don’t know about you but I’m super suspicious of all the Massage / New Age / plinky plunky “Spa” music that’s out there – I tend to find most of it blandly put together samples with the odd bit of nature sound thrown in for fun. This track isn’t like that.
Make It Holy – The Staves
23 February 2017
Music’s amazing isn’t it?! Songs are these things that suddenly appear in our life and attach themselves to an event, a time, a memory – and they never disappear. Songwriters can tell you what they meant when they wrote the song, but they also recognize that once its “out there” the meaning is whatever you, the listener, interpret it to be.
Lily’s Theme – Alexandre Desplat
22 February 2017
I love writing to film scores – to me they’re the quintessential essay writing music – music that was composed to help tell a story! We know that familiar music is good for this purpose as it occupies less cognitive space and you can’t get much bigger than the Harry Potter movies.
Le Onde – Ludovico Einaudi
22 February 2017
I’m a sucker for beautiful piano – I should be as that’s the kind of piano I like to write and play. Ludovico Einaudi is a genius and this track with its 29+ million streams is a good example of why.
Battle Mountain – Ben Flocks
21 February 2017
I was listening to the amazing In A Silent Way from Miles Davis (which will be featured on this playlist soon) and was thinking about the whole instrumental horn, jazz, blues, thing and then Battle Mountain appeared in my Inbox.
Shine On – May Erlewine
21 February 2017
I cam across this track while working on the Grief Directory – it was originally from a post on the Seven Ponds blog. SevenPonds is a contemporary resource for those who wish to celebrate memory and personalize the end of life. You can learn more at their website here.
Hurt – Nine Inch Nails
19 February 2017
Seduced by the Johnny Cash version – I started listening to the original.
It’s really good.
You think the sparseness of the Cash version was novel – but listen to the vocal delivery here – it’s honest – at least that how it comes across –
02 Ghosts I – Nine Inch Nails
19 February 2017
The first time I really listened to Trent Reznor was the soundtrack of The Social Network – oh sure I was aware of him – I had studied his marketing methods but had never really listened to his music.
Sand And Water – Beth Nielsen Chapman
18 February 2017
I love the serendipity of curating a playlist – not least because you come across new wonderful music – but the way certain tracks come to your attention is fascinating.
Sun Will Set – Zoë Keating
17 February 2017
Zöe Keating isn’t just a killer musician, she’s also a pretty cool human being – which is why she came to mind when seeding this playlist. A consummate musician sure – but she’s carved her own way – with a cello – which when you consider the lack of sharp edges on those things – is pretty impressive!