Category Archives: Weekly Song

The Weekly Song category.

Madonna – Ray Of Light

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Oldie but goldie is probably applicable to a song which is almost 20 years old. This is one of the jewels scattered through Madonna’s art. It’s highly danceable and full of positive energy. A lot of intricate beat construction went into this melody. It’s one of those songs that reward the attentive listener. The well written, descriptive lyrics, turn this piece into quite a ride.

Due to her commercial success, many have disregarded or labeled Madonna’s music. That’s a costly mistake to make, for as an artist, Madonna has evolved and changed considerably throughout the years. The “Bedtime Stories” and “Ray Of Light” albums seem to me to be among her most genuine and profound works. Especially on “Ray Of Light”, her voice seems to have reached a peak of… honesty, if you will.

“Faster than the speeding light she’s flying
Trying to remember where it all began
She’s got herself a little piece of heaven
Waiting for the time when Earth shall be as one”

YouTube (decent quality):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXCDxvnsOQg^

For Spotify Users (high quality):

https://open.spotify.com/track/4Fpsa3pYc3gozrxHRRPvR6^

For Deezer Users (high quality):

http://www.deezer.com/track/778704^

[ax_meta lnimgurl=’http://mentatul.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/01307-MadonnaRayOfLight-Thumb.jpg’ lnimgw=’250′ lnimgh=’250′ title=’Madonna – Ray Of Light’ desc=’A lot of intricate beat construction went into this melody. It's one of those songs that reward the attentive listener.’]

Kalya Scintilla – Manzanita

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Combining native-American flutes, mysterious whispers, various folk instruments and a staggering array of electronic sound textures, this is the sort of music that can be watched with eyes closed. It’s the sort of music that overwhelms the mind and taps imagination on the shoulder saying “it’s time to move”. Psybient titan Kalya Scintilla leads the way yet again.

“Stories are part of our culture and our history, we learn from them.”

You can listen to the melody for free, in good quality, on BandCamp, which is one of the best websites when it comes to supporting artists. You can also purchase the song (or album) from this same location. And in case you’re wondering, yes, I did purchase Kalya Scintilla’s album :).

https://kalyascintilla.bandcamp.com/track/manzanita^

YouTube (decent quality):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWNToDNKFf4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWNToDNKFf4^

For Spotify Users (high quality):

https://open.spotify.com/track/3qkRA6vWRJT0XVAbTKCzU2^

[ax_meta lnimgurl=’http://mentatul.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/01298-KalyaScintillaListenToTheTrees-Thumb.jpg’ lnimgw=’250′ lnimgh=’250′ title=’Kalya Scintilla – Manzanita’ desc=’Combining native American flutes, mysterious whispers, various folk instruments and a staggering array of electronic sound textures, this is the sort of music that can be watched with eyes closed.’]

Eminem – Lose Yourself

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Greek mythology gave us the concept of a muse^. Many artists refer to their muses. I find that often, art itself becomes the muse. This is where this song comes in. It’s one of the best hip hop songs of all time thanks to an excellent combination of great music, fiery singing and awesome writing all coming together to tell a touching story. Actually, in my book, this is one of the best songs of all time, period.

I think it’s hard not to be stimulated and pumped up by it. Sure, some people will simply block the message due to a certain dislike for the genre or the artist. But otherwise, this melody can be an energy source and consistent motivator whenever you may need it.

“Look
If you had
One shot
Or one opportunity
To seize everything you ever wanted
In one moment
Would you capture it
Or just let it slip?

[…]

You better lose yourself in the music, the moment
You own it, you better never let it go
You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow
This opportunity comes once in a lifetime you better

[…]

Success is my only motherfuckin’ option, failure’s not
Mom, I love you, but this trail has got to go, I cannot grow old in Salem’s lot
So here I go is my shot
Feet fail me not ‘cause maybe the only opportunity that I got

[…]

You can do anything you set your mind to man” [I chose to interpret man as human, not as male.]

YouTube (decent quality):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-j1Udjwh8ro^

For Spotify Users (high quality):

https://open.spotify.com/track/7w9bgPAmPTtrkt2v16QWvQ^

For Deezer Users (high quality):

http://www.deezer.com/track/1109731^

And of course, it’s not a coincidence that I post this today. There are many changes in my life this early 2017.

[ax_meta lnimgurl=’http://mentatul.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/01793-EminemCurtainCall-Thumb.jpg’ lnimgw=’250′ lnimgh=’250′ title=’Eminem – Lose Yourself’ desc=’Excellent combination of great music, fiery singing and awesome writing all coming together to tell a touching story.’]

Pendulum – Slam

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With a fitting title, this track is a total dance-floor wrecker. There’s barely time to breathe while the song buzzes every muscle. It’s also somehow charged with an extreme amount of positive energy. Rumor has it necromancers use this melody to raise the dead. But these be happy zombies.

Make sure you don’t have the volume turned up too high ‘cause this one might spill the soup from your neighbor’s bowl (depending how beefy your speakers are). Another rumor has it that some construction companies use this to test structural stability in skyscrapers. They go in with a couple of custom subwoofers and if the walls don’t crack after playing this tune, then it’s a good building.

Completing the package comes one of the funkiest music videos I know of, which every time I watch installs a big fat grin on my face. If there’s anything I can call “oldie but goldie”, it’s this. Enjoy!

“We’re marooned on a small island,
In an endless sea,
Confined to a tiny spit of sand,
Unable to escape

But tonight… its heavy stuff!”

YouTube (one of the most uplifting videos ever):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIOQfdn9L9c^

For Spotify Users (high quality):

https://open.spotify.com/track/5iafDaZllVA8NXPr7ciK1C^

For Deezer Users (high quality):

http://www.deezer.com/track/81251332^

This Weekly Song entry has been brought from the FaceBook archive of Weekly Song^. This exploration was originally started through a FaceBook page, about 13 months prior to launching Mentatul. Slowly but surely, the entire FaceBook archive will be brought here.

Original post:

If there’s anything I can call “oldie but goldie”, it’s this. One of the funkiest music videos I know of, which every time I watch installs a big fat grin on my face. Enjoy!

[ax_meta lnimgurl=’http://mentatul.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/01452-PendulumHoldYourColor-Thumb.jpg’ lnimgw=’250′ lnimgh=’250′ title=’Pendulum – Slam’ desc=’Rumor has it necromancers use this melody to raise the dead. But these be happy zombies.’]

Tomas Dvorak – The Bottom

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Music is play. While listening to such melodies, this simple fact can really be appreciated, commended and truly felt. It’s a wonderful composition, brimming with diversity. The creation is part of the soundtrack of awesome Machinarium^ (which I highly recommend, especially since the game and its soundtrack are in such amazing symbiosis). It’s lovely when a healthy dose of graphical inspiration brings artists to the point of creating such beautiful music.

You can listen to the melody for free, in good quality, on BandCamp, which is one of the best websites when it comes to supporting artists. You can also purchase the song (or album) from this same location. And in case you’re wondering, yes, I did purchase Tomas Dvorak’s album :).

http://store.floex.cz/track/the-bottom^

The song can also be listened for free available in high quality on SoundCloud, another great website when it comes to supporting emerging and independent artists:

https://soundcloud.com/minorityrecords/01-the-bottom?in=minorityrecords/sets/machinarium-ost^

YouTube (decent quality):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHPjpflNssY^

For Spotify Users (high quality):

https://open.spotify.com/track/6VZf0fnX3X8Un6lcxSWiFV^

For Deezer Users (high quality):

http://www.deezer.com/track/15618007^

[ax_meta lnimgurl=’http://mentatul.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/01293-TomasDvorakMachinarium-Thumb.jpg’ lnimgw=’250′ lnimgh=’250′ title=’Tomas Dvorak – The Bottom’ desc=’It's a wonderful composition, brimming with diversity.’]

Tim Booth & Angelo Badalamenti – Dance Of The Bad Angels

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A sensual, warm song develops into a majestic chant of shattering lyrical intensity. It’s always hard to write words about such amazing creations. Whatever I’d write would pale in comparison to the blinding divine poetry that is about to unfold. So I’m going to let the music be the stair and the lyrics the guiding light. Now close your eyes, sharpen your hearing and feel where it all leads to.

“What a journey
So hard to describe
Your harbour so small
The ocean so wide
Spin the wheel, spin the wheel
Go wherever she spins
Surrender to this wave that’s rolling in

Homing fingers
Starting to dig
Raising expectations
Lifting the lid
There’s a show going down
Going deeper within
I long to lose myself
Inside your skin

What a feeling under the stars
My body’s rotating from Venus through Mars
There’s a war going on
Between my head and my heart
I wonder how they grew so far apart

I’m so shaken, about to explode
The myth of kissing princes
Is they turn into toads
There’s a war going on
Between the sun and the moon
Before they come to terms
We’ll be consumed

Oh my god, please take me now
I’m ready for ascension
If I only knew how
Give me wings give me wings
Now I’m stuck on the ground
Recieve this blood and bones
I’m homeward bound

See the statue growing wings
This singer was a virgin
Until he conceived
God is love, god is love
And her lover I’ll be
I long to leave the world in ecstasy

Dance with me around this fire
The dance of bad angels who’d love to fly higher
God is love, god is love
And her lover I’ll be
I long to leave the world in ecstasy”

YouTube (decent quality):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcdwyKwzESo^

For Spotify Users (high quality):

https://open.spotify.com/track/5JN2wPutS5Z9i0OOhnHCnO^

For Deezer Users (high quality):

http://www.deezer.com/track/2193761^

[ax_meta lnimgurl=’http://mentatul.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/01783-TimBoothAngeloAndTheBadAngel-Thumb.jpg’ lnimgw=’250′ lnimgh=’250′ title=’Tim Booth & Angelo Badalamenti – Dance Of The Bad Angels’ desc=’A sensual, warm song develops into a majestic chant of shattering lyrical intensity.’]

Hol Baumann – A Forgotten Ritual

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Mysterious in the beginning, mercilessly groovy all-throughout, here’s an atmospheric body-mover and a consistent head-bobber. Not only is this song full of energy, it is also very well composed and produced. It shines like black oil as it meanders its way through a labyrinth of vibration.

Electronic music has brought with it a staggering amount of diversity. The entire universe of sound suddenly became accessible, bringing with it supreme flexibility. Never before had artists such a freedom of experimentation as today. And it shows.

What does this have to do with this song? I just happen to find it a glowing example of what electronic music can mean today. Well, 8 years ago is not really “today” anymore but it’s contemporary enough.

You can listen to the song for free, in good quality, on BandCamp, which is one of the best websites when it comes to supporting artists. You can also purchase the song (or album) from this same location. And in case you’re wondering, yes, I did purchase Hol Baumann’s album :).

https://ultimae.bandcamp.com/track/a-forgotten-ritual^

YouTube (decent quality):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPVzPVnsIAw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPVzPVnsIAw^

For Spotify Users (high quality):

https://open.spotify.com/track/1MaPQ0w76FkI1sSfKKS1tJ^

For Deezer Users (high quality):

http://www.deezer.com/track/6146786^

[ax_meta lnimgurl=’http://mentatul.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/01282-HolBaumannHuman-Thumb.jpg’ lnimgw=’250′ lnimgh=’250′ title=’Hol Baumann – A Forgotten Ritual’ desc=’Mysterious in the beginning, mercilessly groovy all-throughout, here's an atmospheric body-mover and a consistent head-bobber.’]

Sofa Surfers – Out, Damn Light (feat. Mani Obeya)

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It’s one of those songs that flow, one of those songs that go from start to finish in a casual, unassuming way. The singer probably contributes a lot to this feeling. So do the lyrics. It’s also one of those songs where the music and the singing are so tightly intertwined that taking away the voice would seriously cripple the composition (there are entire albums out there that work just fine in an instrumental-only guise).

I find the musical style quite original too. Sure, I guess it can be classified as post-rock or something like that, but I feel there’s more to it. There’s a little extra novelty, and that’s pleasant for the ear to digest. While I haven’t really understood the meaning behind the “out, damn light” verse, I have to say that I like the lyrics too.

“I own nothin’ more than the ground that I sit on, the ground that I sit on
So I make myself comfortable cuz’ I’m the king of the Earth
Sitting on my throne of dirt and I’ll rule these stinking slums
In a rain of a walkin’-talking’-ticking bombs”

YouTube (decent quality):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLA8B9jUTUU^

For Spotify Users (high quality):

https://open.spotify.com/track/1PIxcaOMcagPFrwIuZmoCP^

For Deezer Users (high quality):

http://www.deezer.com/track/58913001^

[ax_meta lnimgurl=’http://mentatul.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/01265-SofaSurfersSuperluminal-Thumb.jpg’ lnimgw=’250′ lnimgh=’250′ title=’Sofa Surfers – Out, Damn Light (feat. Mani Obeya)’ desc=’It's one of those songs that flow, one of those songs that go from start to finish in a casual, unassuming way.’]

Younger Brother – Shine

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Soft sound textures lead the listener into the infinite halls of a Universe where frequencies echo and pulsate. And then we’re suddenly aboard the singer’s vehicle of expression, soaring to uplifting heights. When things are dark, remember that you can always shine. Yes, shine my brothers and sisters!

“Be there when I need a shoulder
When I need a heart
When I need to feel the beat
Beat of my heart

[…]

Sometimes you shine
Sometimes you fall
Sometimes you know
Nothing at all

Want to see you shine, shine, shine like I know you can
Want to see you shine, shine, shine like you know what I am”

YouTube (decent quality):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_9Bt6MG-3Y^

For Spotify Users (high quality):

https://open.spotify.com/track/4CDUC8VbXAqQCR0Q0qGeQb^

For Deezer Users (high quality):

http://www.deezer.com/track/97200654^

This Weekly Song entry has been brought from the FaceBook archive of Weekly Song^. This exploration was originally started through a FaceBook page, about 13 months prior to launching Mentatul. Slowly but surely, the entire FaceBook archive will be brought here.

Original post:

When things are dark, remember that you can always shine!

[ax_meta lnimgurl=’http://mentatul.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/01447-YoungerBrotherVaccine-Thumb.jpg’ lnimgw=’250′ lnimgh=’250′ title=’Younger Brother – Shine’ desc=’Soft sound textures lead the listener into the infinite halls of a Universe where frequencies echo and pulsate.’]

Ganga Giri – Earthwise

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Mixing multiple musical styles is not an easy feat. This melody is filled to the brim with Australian folk beauty and aboriginal sounds. It’s so diverse it can end up being divisive. Regardless of taste, this song deserves a listen even if to simply marvel at the mish-mash of a sound palette used here. Let loose the didgeridoo!

There are some even better tunes on Ganga Giri’s Earthwise EPs (Parts 1 & 2). I preferred to feature this one because of the message. It’s an excellent introduction for the two EPs.

“True wealth
is the health of our earth
We stand together
to uphold true worth
Global conscious community
One world family”

You can listen to the melody for free, in good quality, on BandCamp, which is one of the best websites when it comes to supporting artists. You can also purchase the song (or album) from this same location. And in case you’re wondering, yes, I did purchase Ganga Giri’s EP :).

https://gangagiri.bandcamp.com/track/earthwise^

Sadly, the song is not available on YouTube, but that’s fine because you can listen for free on BandCamp (see above) and Deezer.

For Spotify Users (high quality):

https://open.spotify.com/track/5CIbQTMdHRinzPHOEoMBdH^

For Deezer Users (high quality):

http://www.deezer.com/track/115925460^

[ax_meta lnimgurl=’http://mentatul.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/01422-GangaGiriEarthwise-Thumb.jpg’ lnimgw=’250′ lnimgh=’250′ title=’Ganga Giri – Earthwise’ desc=’This melody is filled to the brim with Australian folk beauty and aboriginal sounds. It's so diverse it can end up being divisive.’]