For our friends around the world, this week’s mixtape is for you. The tunes are about truly hearing and learning about the world we live in.
This Week’s Picks
This week’s mixtape is about broadening outside the normal type of music one might listen to. It’s been a tough week (well a couple of months really) for the world and so I wanted to pick songs that had more of an international/multi-cultural vibe to them; to try and inspire and get people to remember that while we may seem different on the outside, there are a lot of things that bring us all together and make us the same. Music is definitely one of those things that makes us the same. So here are my picks for the week and I hope you enjoy and stay safe out there.
Parisian by Kevin MacLeod (CC-BY)
This is a song that I have picked in a previous mixtape but I thought it was just appropriate to play again for our friends in France who have suffered yet another tragedy. I am not going to make this political or anything, but I wanted to choose a song that to me truly represents Paris and generates a warm and friendly feeling of being in such a great country.
Si Beag Si Mor, Snowy Path by Slainte (CC-BY-SA)
I am a big fan of Celtic music and overtime I listen to it, it reminds me of the time that I visited Scotland. While the two are not technically the same thing, it creates that feeling of wanderlust and being someplace magical, which Scotland was for me. I have always wanted to go to Ireland and with this song, it instantly transports you to the rolling green hills or to the small outlying towns of Dublin. I dare you to say it doesn’t put a small smile on your face.
Jota by Julio J. Martinez Oyanguren (CC-BY)
You might have to turn up the volume on this one as it is an old recording of a song by Julio Oyanguren from the 1930’s. I am a huge fan of guitar and there is just something special about Spanish guitar music. It just creates a feeling of timelessness and always has wonderful beats to it.
Garawa Mayi Sang Lage Parts 1 and 2 by Pandit Omkarnath Prakur (CC-BY)
This song was chosen because you really want to get international, then you pick a song from a country that you really don’t listen to their music at all. For me, this is such a country. I don’t think I’ve ever heard a song from India so this was an interesting choice to go with. It dances between simple to a little weird (there towards the end it starts to sound likes he’s laughing and singing at the same time and makes a weird mix) but maintains its interesting level and is something outside the box.
Funeral Chant by Seneca Indians (CC-BY)
Personally, I love listening to some of the chants and musical endeavors put together by Native Americans. I think their style of music is overlooked completely (as is their culture and way of life) so whenever I get a chance to listen and maybe even show off some of their music, I do. This is another old recording so you will have to turn it up a little but its quite a solemn piece (as the title might indicate) but it fills you with a lot of peace as well.
