Who’s up for a 12 minute ripping yarn full of danger, hope and heroism? Who’s ready to be carried back to wartime as peaceful pianos, bobbing synths and powerful guitars tell the tale of a legendary ship and its storied history?
I know - it’s all so Meta - here we are - a playlist with music to write to and this week - the story’s already in the song - genius!
Actually the track’s pretty genius too - if you’re a fan of instrumental prog rock - anything from Explosions in the Sky through to The Alan Parsons Project - you’re going to dig this - throw in a bit of Jeff Lynne’s War of the Worlds and you’ll have a fair idea of the kind of journey you’re about to embark on.
And it’s cool - I like writing to tracks like this ‘cos while sometimes the intensity change from the different sections can throw you off - once you get into a groove - I find my energy level start to match the different parts of the story. By the third time on repeat the arpeggiated pianos coming in at 1:40 are like a cheering crowd - applauding every word I write and putting a smile on my face as I type. And as the section changes - I allow my emotions and output to change with the music - I become more reflective - I go back and read what I’ve written - making small changes here and there - before once again the piece picks up speed and back to frantic typing.
It took me a few listens to get in sync with the track but now I’m in it’s marvelous! Definitely worth taking out for a spin!
With all of that out of the way - there actually is a wonderful story behind the track - coming from an Air Force family myself I was kinda drawn to the piece ;-p You should check out the video but certainly take a minute and read Malcolm’s accompanying notes below - it’s a fascinating story…
You can learn more about Hats Off Gentlemen It's Adequate here:
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.
I’ve been fascinated by music ever since.
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
Lonely Dream – Drunken Kong Remix – The Archer, Drunken Kong
24 November 2021
But as I’ve moved from ideation to manifestation, the energy of the playlist needed to change – solo piano is good for thinking – but 8 minutes of 130 bpm edm is great for getting things down
Out Of Reach – Cristoph, Yotto, Sansa
8 November 2021
So if you’ve been listening to the playlist recently you know what’s coming. Last week’s track was all about setting the intent for change – away from the more relaxing ideation space of solo instrumentation to this week’s electronic track from Cristoph, Yotto and Sansa.
Mr. Clay – Johnny Klimek, Tom Tykwer
31 October 2021
I’ve known for a while that the feel of the list was going to change – while piano instrumentals are perfect for reflection and ideation – at some point you need some energetic input to get your fingers moving.
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.