Heart-warming

Radiohead released two new music videos recently. Both times I saw the link to their new material on my Facebook news feed, I was instantly rendered child-like with excitement. I was a child hearing the jingle of an ice cream van on a hot summer day. Sure enough, I love their new songs.

I've been getting more into music recently; rekindling an old fire. I used to be obsessed with it. That's probably why I stopped following the charts and new releases. I needed to get away.

Now I'm a lot more picky with music than I ever was. I'm picky about lyrics and meaning. I'm picky about how songs make me feel. I've started to care more about what I fill my head with.

Fly Exam by JGivens is one of the records that
have piqued my interest in music again.
This hip-hop debut has old-school vibes and
insightful lyrics about purpose and humanity. 

The new Radiohead songs are miserable to some, but they don't fill me with misery. 'Daydreaming' actually warms my heart. In a world where there is pressure to appear strong and content, Yorke (the singer) shares his pain with us - a coping strategy which I'm sure benefits him greatly. Yet I do not suffer from that pain as a result of engaging with it. In the music video, he walks around, aimlessly it seems, not noticed by anyone, not committing to anyone or any work in particular. Then he goes to sleep. Yet I do not disengage with my surroundings in response to this song. Rather, I respond emotionally to the beauty of his life and his desire for intimacy.

I feel something else too. A gratitude that I'm not the only one who feels empty at times. A gratitude for the reminder that I'm surrounded by humans like me. I'm surrounded by people and not perfect, unfeeling beings.

SI