So many people listen to music quite wrongly. That might sound like a bit of an elitist thing to say but we seem to have become so invested in the throwaway, six-word, repetitive pop chorus that we miss the deftness and smarts of the music which it uses as a musical vehicle.
It’s why I love instrumental music. Take away the often annoying, obvious lyrical hooks and you have no choice but to engage with the music itself. Not that eVen eQual makes music which could be classed as pop in any way but the point still stands.
To this end, Memories is a fantastic collection of chilled, electronic intrigue and musical exploration. Ambient is a good starting point but tracks such as Stranger, with its brooding and threatening bass blasts, demonstrate that the album is a more mercurial beast than such a word can begin to capture.
Onosecond is proof of his ability to weave interesting musical dynamics, largely beat drive but undercut with languid, liquid sonics, it cleverly wanders between dance-floor beats and soothing lulls. For me, the high point is The Sun Sees No Shadow, a slice of chilled ambience augmented by rising beats and a voice used as an instrument, plaintive piano notes and a wonderfully relevant spoken-word intro.
Ending on a high note, the suitably named Brace For Impact harnesses the energy and urgency of Vangelis more kinetic moments of his now-iconic Blade Runner soundtrack whilst retaining an understated musical heart.
The power of such music is that without the lyrical component, the listener is forced to engage with the music, and let that talk to you. And Memories does just that. Talk to you. But more than that, the conversation isn’t with the logical, analytical brain. Music, especially music this emotive and mercurial speaks directly to the heart, perhaps even the very soul of the listener.
Lyrics? Who needs them?
