Why Music?

Two years ago at Bonnaroo, I was separated from friends during the Passion Pit show Thursday nite. As I wandered through the crowd I found the perfect spot to view the show right in front of the sound board. In front of me was a group of 5-6 girls, probably no more than 18 years old. Every time the band started a new song, the group of girls would jump in the air and scream at the top of their lungs like they had just won the powerball. As I witnessed this take place for every new song throughout the entire show, I could only help but wonder, "Will I ever be this excited about anything in my life?"

What is it about music that brings out so many different emotions in different people? After all isn't it just an arrangement of different sounds and notes that happen to "sound good" together? What is it about the Beatles that makes them the greatest rock group ever? Aren't they just four working class kids from Liverpool? How do acts like Bassnectar and Pretty Lights draw sold out crowds every nite throughout their tours? Don't they just play music created on their laptops?

There have been hundreds if not thousands of studies on the psychology of music. Why certain notes, keys, or songs bring out different emotions in so many people. What is it about music that brings out these emotions or feelings in humans? Why are humans the only species that respond to music? Does music help us express things that as humans we simply cannot communicate? I can ask a hundred more questions, but what really got me thinking about this are two artists that have recently been speaking to my heart and saying things that for some reason I have not been able to express.

The first artist is newcomer, James Blake. Based out of the UK, this electronic composer released his debut album at the beginning of the month. His laid-back, minimalist approach to dubstep and other electronic genres has already gained critical acclaim. 2010 saw Blake's rise with the releases of 4 singles/EPs which, collectively, were named #8 best album of 2010 by Pitchfork. This year promises to be a breakout year for James Blake with the release of his self-titled, first, full-length album.

The second artist I will mention is Jamie XX. After winning the Mercury Prize last year with fellow XX band mates, Jamie has been busy remixing artists ranging from Florence and the Machine and Adele, to his most recent endeavor with Gil Scott-Heron. Heron released his newest album, "I'm New Here" on February 9 earlier this year. Rumors of a remix album have been swirling for awhile, but Jamie XX released the official Gil Scott-Heron remix album (available for streaming), "We're New Here" late last week. You can stream the whole album over at The Fader. Below are videos for Blake's singles CMYK and The Wilhelm Scream along with a couple remixes by Jamie XX, including one off "We're New Here."