Late night revelations

This playlist can personify my emotions, starting from passionate, exciting feelings, to a lo-fi mix, as I become more tired towards the end day. The music matches my feelings in ways I can more easily listen to rather than to speak about. It opens and unlocks the thoughts I have, making it more comfortable to remember, dream or think. It's more natural to hear the language of music than try to explain its mastery and mystery. The alternative and indie music lyrics to me, often focus on storylines about intimate and personal feelings. I relate to these lyrics and the mellow sounds drawing closer to my current mental and emotional state, and I find that I lose myself in the flow of the playlist. My playlist is listed below. In this edition of my opinion, I've attached a list of songs that resemble my current mental space and physical health. I've found this expansive and hope to make another on specific genres of music that focus on particular aspects rooted to my personal health and growth as a person.

As I'm going through these songs, the majority have lyrics, but not all do. In the latter stages of the list, I prioritise a tune and the sounds, and I daydream about my own feelings. I prefer an ambient soft beat so I can write my own lyrics in my head - it's how I'm feeling in the moment. Additionally, it is much easier to listen to lo-fi and slower songs at length; my heart doesn't have to be racing to mellow soundtracks. I think I didn't personally realise this, but there was a day at school when we discussed music. It was based on a radio program called 'Desert Island Discs'. A short explanation of the radio show is the guest selects a song that you have a personal connection to, in the artistic nature of 'if you were stuck on a desert island'. Depending on your discussion, each person has a limited number of songs, can be 1 or 3. So, there is a high stake when choosing the song. In theory, you'll listen to that song on repeat, so it means you have to think carefully. In this session, what I remember more than anything was the question posed to me and my response. I remember it over the songs I decided 3 years ago. In the discussion, my teacher, Mr MacKinnon, asked, "Why did I like the song I chose?" I responded with the first thing that came into my head. "The beat or tune is the first thing I connect with." He was taken aback as he expected the lyrics, I assumed. I still wonder if my subconscious thought about the melody is true when my informed opinion doesn't know if it is.

"Why did I like the song I chose?" I responded with the first thing that came into my head. "The beat or tune is the first thing I connect with."

In part, this may be related to my broad taste in music. I like most music except heavy metal and closely associated songs. So, I listen to many songs with lyrics and without. Although, I think my connection to music is more heartfelt than that my first reasoning. I pick my songs for certain certainties. This could be for inspiration, motivation, happiness and other emotion and to focus. So like everyone else. Music, without any words, is as powerful as with lyrics. Often, when I'm writing journal pages and these pieces, I listen to music more based around a focal track and sound rather than a focus on lyrics. It's obviously easier to type and express yourself without more words flying through my head. However, the music I listen to can guide my head and how I want my words to be expressed and to prompt me to continue when I'm tired.

My friend Max is on day 17 of a month of choosing certain songs for a '30-day song challenge'. I applaud his commitment in this lazy, 'stay-at-home' era and am happily surprised by some of his choices. We've often spoken at length about diverse genres of music, and we're both on the same wavelength searching for new music. I took him to a Rex Orange County concert, one that I previously wrote about in a different Vocal story recently. In the impromptu nature of it, I needed someone who would say yes to a late, late notice to a concert (15 mins before he appeared on stage) and Max and I will always go together. We have similar tastes in music and are passionately working on music projects alongside our engineering degrees. I've been creating music and publishing it., while Max has been thriving in mixing and learning to DJ from local societies. We've found that our creative side is still buzzing. We feel happier as individuals and together. By spending our limited free time bolstering our creative output, it's healthy for our mental health and to learn to express ourselves in alternative means. This is helping me become more all-rounded, enriching my personality and growing music as a discussion - a crucial pillar in our relationships in our social circles.

It all comes back: the tunes that we played that night, we sat by the water, swinging our legs as swans swam past.

Our friends often share similar music interests to us and introduce us to new music. This freedom of expression and sharing of a language in a society that focuses on ownership and commercialism is a positive trait of our modern world. The ability to share a story as a connection and a memory. It's a warm feeling to share a relationship with someone close to you over a favourite song. I remember listening to the songs in this playlist before we were asked to stay in our homes. I remember the last days of our old lives (before social distancing), beyond visual memories. It all comes back: the tunes that we played that night, we sat by the water, swinging our legs as swans swam past.

Over time, you can create shared memories and give songs extra meaning to us. The song gains a note of nostalgia, making it more special to us. It may or may not have survived being overplayed by us. Nevertheless, it holds a place close to your heart, a beaming smile and the tears down your cheeks. Something that you'd listen to sitting out watching the sunset. On a desert island. And if you think about it, we're all on our own desert islands now, separated from others, with limited resources and our thoughts stuck with us. Choose your songs, so when you leave your island, you can share them.