Usually, when I find myself distracted there is a song playing at the back of my head(quite literally). The chorus rings and rings and rings through my temporal lobe until I simply burst into a shrilled enunciation of the lyrics or maybe a random body movement. The song is inadvertently indicative of my mood. Now that’s what is normal for me.
This week was extremely confusing. It’s hard to place a finger and say, “Yes, this is what is confusing me!”
But I knew I was in a constant state of conundrum all through this week when I did not know what music I wanted to listen to.
Of course, I had to go look for answers and here is what I found:
Music activates particular areas of the temporal lobe.
While each of these areas are mirror images of each other, they produce very specific affective responses. University of Central Florida magazine, Pegasus, provides a visual representation of each of the emotions and physical functions that can be triggered when listening to music.
Now the real question is, how can all of those areas be triggered together? And why does it feel like confusion? My brain automatically reoriented itself with each new song.
Here is a playlist out of seemingly random songs.
Mind you, it isn’t always that I understand the language. It is just something about the sound that my brain needed.
1. Maate Vinadhuga - Sid Sriram (Telugu)
I really didn’t intend to begin with this song. It was again one of the songs ringing at the back of my head while I was writing this.
The measured repetition of the second word of every line in its chorus, just makes you wanna get a pace going.
But it’s gone with song. And I definitely do not suggest you put it on repeat.
2. Me, Myself and I - Beyonce (English)
Oof did I get schooled with this song. It’s a classic (pop some might argue, but nevertheless, classic). Beyonce’s ability to simply say the harsh truth of existence out in the moment while making you want to dance is simply unparalleled. She is one of the few artists that makes you celebrate life with everything that is in it.
3. Moral of the Story - Ashe, Niall Horan (English)
4. Some Say - Nea, Felix Jaehn (English)
I found this on one of the Instagram ads. It was definitely the familiar tune for me. It uses the basic tune from Blue by Eiffel 65. It’s a whole nostalgic mood from the Aqua and Vengaboys era with portable boomboxes only this time round with your headphones on.
5. Moner Manush- nupam Roy Feat. Satyaki Banerjee & Babul Supriyo (Bengali)
This is one of the beautifully amalgamated pieces of Coke Studio India. You get folk, slow rock, and just three beautiful voices expressing the same emotion in different ways. This song leaves you with a feeling of satisfaction. It is also aware of a tinge of virah rasa (pathos- one of longing). It makes you smile for your pain.
6. NFWMB- Hozier (English)
Hozier. Hozier. Hozier
It’s that mood where you know you are going slow, but you know nothing else can bug you anymore. So you just. carry. on.
7. Sairaat- Atul and Ajay (Marathi)
This is a genius piece of music. So far as the story goes, the producers of the film of the same name just gave them the freedom to work with a 300 piece orchestra to build this masterpiece of an album.
Here’s what they did: they took the Marathi collective performance style-- Dhol and Taash, percussion instruments used across folk forms in India-- and blended it with the music from the orchestra. They made use of every instrument available to them.
Both these musical styles are intense and produce emotions that are physically impactful. The Dhol and Taash are traditionally played by a huge group of players, equivalent to the orchestra. But the emotion it produces is one of letting go of physical inhibitions. The listener finds themselves responding to the music by dancing vigorously. Movement is essential.
The orchestra on the other hand is listened to in a physically restricting conditions. The goal is to listen to music by paying attention and avoiding any distractions. To bring these similar yet worlds apart forms of music has always been a trademark of theis Singer-Music Director duo.
8. Edge of Midnight (Midnight Sky Remix) - Miley Cyrus
ICONIC. It makes me want to pull up those flared pair of trousers and twirl around.
9. Kaali Kaali Zulfon Ke - Ustaad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan (Hindi-Urdu)
I hold absolutely no expertise to comment on the maestro’s music and performance. This song takes me straight to space of shared ruse with people with blank faces. It is one of namelessness so you recognise the the most potent feature of identification -- hair. The sheer strength of his voice embodies the deepest darkest desire of being nameless and unrecognizable.
10. Zariya - AR Rahman, Ani Choying, Farah Siraj (Indian, Nepalese, Arabic)
This composition is intense and it transports you to a soundscape that is deep and layered at the same time. Each of the sections carry sufism in them.
11. Thunderstruck- 2CELLOS (Instrumental)
2CELLOS can make anything sound like pure heaven. I cannot get over how iconic this moment is what with its feature on the Netflix hit Bridgerton. I suggest you go down a clicking spiral with this duo.
12. 1999- Charli XCX, Troye Sivan (English)
Well, yes, I would love to. But I would have been waddled in towels, sucking on my thumb. But I sure would have still done my little baby dance to it.
13. Don’t Talk About It - Tove Lo (English)
Of course. Something that most of us do when we are swinging across moods. Maybe we can sing instead?
Tell us about your mood swing list in the comments below!
I love your playlist