Sometimes we need a break. From the intensity. From the people who get in our face. From the hard day. We need a break and the music is too loud, too uncompromising, and it all begins to feel like a grinding wheel. Is life supposed to be this way? What have we created with our industrial societies that we have all now become slaves to the machine?
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For me, progressive music isn’t just about the best movement, the fastest guitar, or who is the better band. It isn’t about giving out stars as rewards for a job well done. Or to punish a poor performance. Progressive music should be about expanding your musical horizon by finding new and old influences to weave into your own tapestry.
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It can be an exhilarating, sometimes spiritual experience to listen to progressive music. I am certain that most musicians will tell you the creation of music brings about the similar emotions. I think that is what makes us unique as humans. We reach out and touch another soul and they are so moved that they reach out and touch more souls.
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The artist you are listening to is Olafur Arnalds. His music can be found under the Classical genre on emusic. I think his music is universally progressive in that he creates stunningly beautiful movements and then allows them to evolve and transition into new progressions or movements.
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When I’ve had enough of screaming voices, thrashing guitars, and overcooked synthesizers, I click on Arnalds and drift away. Arnalds inspires me through his music to keep pushing forward, to keep writing reviews, posting video and audio, and most of all, to stay grounded and focused each and every day. I highly recommend Olafur Arnalds lastest release “and they escaped the weight of the darkness” for those evenings when you just need to relax and shake off the impressions of the day.
I hope your day or evening has been a restful one.
Rick Dante
