Why Is Music So Powerful?

Music is energy for the soul. It's comfort when you're low. It's the inspiration you need for your next seminal idea. Music is FREEDOM.

Years ago I used to be so into music I wanted to be an artist. Electronica was my thing. I had the computer, the software, the keyboard and was even the proud owner of a Roland mixer. I was all set, I was going to make it out there and be known.

Back in the day!

But as the years rolled on filmmaking became my dominant focus and sadly I left the music behind, it no longer became part of my ambition. To let go of music like that was a silly thing to do.

I have been thinking lately, now that I've hit my 40's, how many songs I must have listened to in my life? It has to be in the hundreds of thousands, surely it couldn't have surpassed the million mark, could it? Possibly, I really don't know. How many of us really know how much music we have absorbed over the years.

From a very young age music has been an integral part of my life, as with a lot of people - I hope most people. To say music is the most powerful medium still wouldn't come close to the sheer impact music has on my life.

Music is everything to me, some times I even think it's more important than people. Which is a strange thing to say given that music is made, mostly, by people.

But even to this day I still can not work out what gives music its uniquely potent quality, I really don't know. I can't work it out. And to be honest I don't need to. It is what it is. Music is life, music is KING.

Music and Filmmaking

As I enjoy filmmaking music has an additional meaning for me. Finding the right music for the visuals is very important when it comes to producing films. But many filmmakers simply don't consider the music they're using, they may get copyright permission to use any song they want but when the sequence is taken as a whole there is quite often a disconnect between the music and the visuals, so the scene is weakened.

As I always remind myself when it comes to filmmaking it's important that the music does justice to the visuals but it's just as important that the visuals do justice to the music.

The other striking feature of music is it's ability to unite people, there is no other medium on the planet that can unite people as much as music can. Music is the medium that just keeps on giving.

My Schizzle!

So what am I into? When it comes to my relationship with music it all kicked off in the 1980's. The radio ruled. Everything was recorded from the radio onto cassette tapes, at the same time CDs were emerging. And it spiralled from there. I get to my teens and early twenties and my tastes have matured, and to be honest the main genres of music I'm into now hasn't changed considerably from that juncture.

Setting aside Funk and Soul for a moment I am massively into electronica in virtually all its forms. I particularly enjoy electro-ambient. It's less about rhythm with electro-ambient and more about the sounds and tones, the focus is far more on the experimental. My interest in ambient can also extend to dark ambient.

Right at the top of the list has to be Aphex Twin. Check out the full video version of Windowlicker. Aphex Twin can make some serious experimental music but he can also make some seriously experimental and surreal videos.

Bernard Fleischman is another artist I am currently enjoying. He came onto the electronica scene back in 1999 with his seminal debut album Pop Loops For Breakfast - an album that can evoke and inspire even the most uninspired.

Please do me a favour, if there's one song you check out in this post go to the one below it's called Phones, Machines and King Kong by Fleischmann, a sublime electronic piece with vocals but not in the way you think.

In terms of other styles within electronica give me House, Drum & Bass and Disco any day and I'm a happy chap. And I'll also add a new little gem to that list in the form of Dark Electro Rock.

Currently enthusiastic for the works of a prolific Japanese electronic artist called Keita Sano who's keen to point out he's left handed! Check out Bouzouk and Sweet Fruit.

The music industry is a very crowded scene and I give credit to artists like @harbiter, a very interesting Hivean, and @stickupboys who are here in the Hive community doing their thing, getting their work out there and raising their profiles. It's tough work getting recognised, I don't envy them. And by the way if you are reading this go check those guys out. I have also been recommended to check out @ablaze so will get on that too.

I am still very new to the Hive community and I am just starting to get to know people but from the few people I have already met I am already getting a good insight and can see that there is a rich sub-community of music peeps and artists. Looking forwarding to meet all of them!

Peace boys and girls!