Carpe Carmina: carmina charm #15

Do you know that our soul is composed of harmony?

- Leonardo DaVinci

It's harmony that your soul and mind embraces again when listening to music. As sound surrounds you, only some melodies firmly resonate with you, get an immediate emotional response - whilst their approach is a smooth and soft one, whilst they slowly, carefully but steadily cling to you, these melodies eventually grab you with an intensity and force that overwhelms, that fully absorbs and stirs. It's these very melodies that are in chime with your mind and soul, it's music that leaves an imprint on your being and mesmerizes ... music that charms.

XXXI. Hit And Run

Larkins [f.l.t.r.: Dom Want (lead guitarist), Matt Williams (drummer),
Josh Noble (vocalist/rhythm guitarist) & Henry Beach (bassist)]
(photo courtesy of Mick Reese Photography)

One of Manchester's finest indie rock outfits, Larkins have finally stepped into the spotlight with debut single 'Hit & Run', after making a name for themselves locally in 2014 by releasing their demo EP 'Bitter Lady'. And with its infectious beat and spirited sonority, the band's first offical release certainly hits the mark at multiple levels: brisk vocal attitude and anthemic instrumental energy set the tone as bold bass gravity and powerful drum velocity join in. What a clangorous and strong musical beginning for the dymamic four-piece!

Follow-up single 'The Tale Of Cassandra' comes in equally vigorous, captivates due to a summerly vibrant and youthfully dashing tone, and makes for yet another upbeat and energetic sonic strike; thus it neither takes a prophetess to see the Larkins' creatively catchy potential as a band nor to predict that they are destined for a bright and sunny musical future.

Reach out & listen to Larkins on ...

.. twitter ...

.. facebook ...

.. the band's official website ...

.. soundcloud ..

XXXII. My Darling Defibrillator

As a lover of all artistic Officer's music video for 'My Darling Defibrillator', taken from the scottish singer/songwriter's debut album 'Myriads', caught my eye easily: it puts forward a romatically nostalgic, mystically mesmerizing and delightfully dainty visualization, one of capturing narrational charm as a story of awakening, of emotional and mental revival is told in an excitingly enigmatic and wonderfully imaginative style. Harmoniously layered, haunting acoustic melodies and soulful, expressive vocal grace add to the opulent musical picture painted, both create a vivid and gripping tonal atmosphere that invites to indulge and marvel.

So, if it's not out of curiosity for the story behind the song or out of appreciation of its title's stylistic euphony (alliteration alert), check out David Logan's (aka Officer) latest opus for its artistry of sound (heartbeat and drumbeat seemingly coalesce, an atmospheric and dreamful sonic spiral swirls), for its ornate and dulcet visual appeal. For it would be shockingly tragic if you miss out on a vivifying, hypnotically pulsative and scenic gem like this.

Learn more about the concept and making of the music video as well as about the cover art of the single which has been designed by a homeless friend of David, called Dave, here.