I sometimes pontificate that, when it comes to music, the notes and chords form but half the story; the rest is filled in by us, the listeners. It’s why works that resonate with others may not for me (and vice versa). No tried and true test exists for defining “good” or “great,” after all, just smiles, smirks, sighs and, in days long gone, a quick flick of the wrist while twisting the radio dial from one station to the next. It’s why I often share slices of my life in my reviews; it adds context—the whys and wherefores for my picks.
The past week has been filled with sorrow and grief. We lost our beloved Tyler the Cat last Monday, mere weeks after his 17th birthday; one need only leaf through this blog—or visit my Instagram page—to see evidence of how he filled our lives with joy. I can’t imagine life without his bellows, purrs, kneads and mirth.
Perhaps that’s why Marysia Osu’s harp, beats & dreams connects with me more now than it did just last month, when I first played (and enjoyed) it. It flows as if an ambient symphony in 10 movements, the meditative melodies floating forth on the wings of a nightingale one moment and the strings of a harp the next, with flute, piano and other instruments, including clarinet, occasionally drifting to the fore. It’s a comforting listen that’s best appreciated, I think, in the early morning and/or late at night.
Osu’s Bandcamp page offers an in-depth self-analysis of the album, including the intent behind various tracks. The key quote from it, I think, is: “My classical music upbringing taught me that music primarily expresses our inner worlds of feeling, and provides us with journeys through various experiences and emotions. Since my very first music lessons, out of the pieces I was learning on the piano or harp I always felt the most connected to ones that I considered extremely beautiful, and that included a feeling of sadness and felt reflective. I think this stayed with me, and my composition process was cathartic, and became a way to self-soothe and process different events happening in my life.”
Osu, for those unfamiliar with her, is a Polish-born, London-based harpist who graduated with a degree in classical music from Trinity Laban; it was during her time there that she integrated elements of jazz and ambience into her approach to music. She later joined (and is still a part of) the Levitation Orchestra; a few of its members, including cellist Emma Barnaby, vocalist Plumm and flautist Yuis, contribute here.
The Old Grey Cat 