#1 – Soul Music

‘There is no feeling, except the extremes of fear and grief, that does not find relief in music.’ (George Eliot)

Music is undoubtedly the food of love, but it’s also nourishment for life. Music as a source of sustenance is a common theme in literature and, indeed, song lyrics and it’s not hard to see why. As a means by which to convey thought and emotion there is no medium quite so universally honoured as song and, as a method for lifting one’s spirits, nothing beats listening to your favourite tunes.

From our first introduction to music – often our mothers’ softly repeated lullabies and nursery rhymes – to our youth, when we sat cross-legged on a bedroom floor pressing, Record. Pause. Record. Pause. Record. Pause, as we taped the top 20 every Sunday evening, trying to cut out all the ‘talky-bits,’ to your very first iPod, capable of storing every hit you ever loved; music becomes interwoven with our lives from infancy. Certain songs may trigger more vivid memories than even a keen sense of smell can achieve, and conjure recollections of important life events, both bitter and sweet.

Upbeat cheesy pop, the spiritual sound of gospel choirs, orchestral masterpieces, even heavy metal, whichever genres you enjoy listening to, playing some tunes can give your brain a much-needed dopamine hit. Singing along to a much-loved melody, dancing to a beloved beat, or simply relaxing as your soul absorbs every note, music heals, soothes, enriches and brings light to even the darkest of days.