Aquilo and Never Let Me Go

Today I have new music for you by a duo who is not well know, but have a really special place in my heart. Aquilo is one of the most interesting bands I have ever heard and I am absolutely in love with their music because of that. One way their music is defined is as a kind of electronica. Normally, when people think of electronica music, their minds go to dance singles and club jams, the things that are full of energy and are fun and active and lively. But Aquilo is not that. Aquilo is a rare kind of band and artist, one who takes what we think of one thing and turns it into something different. Aquilo is a rather mellow and dreamily sad artist, one who hones in on the side of life that is not normally described by electronic music. Their music has a soft calm to it, a sound that is so hauntingly beautiful and positively moving. Now this song has not been officially released yet, however Aquilo has done a live rendition of this and released that, and let me tell you, it is heart breaking. I mean i actually felt a heaviness in my hear from listening to this song. Aquilo is a band that can claim the title of being ballad kings, because my goodness is this a  heart wrenching story. I mean this is classic pop music, undressed to reveal the music in its purest form. This is complete vulnerability, deep soul, and the words of a broken heart. To be able to create such an effect with just a piano and a voice, that is true magic. This song has been stripped of all accessories, letting us hear the poignancy of a fluid piano and soulful falsetto. The vocals in this song are breathtaking, leaving you unable to say anything afterwards, unable to feel anything other than the emotions captured in this song. Aquilo doesn't just paint  us a picture, but makes us step into the shoes of the vocalist. We feel everything he feels, are wrought by emotion the way he is. This beauty in the simplicity of the song is something that is indescribable. With just the piano and vocals, we are left with a beautifully tragic story, one the is vividly playing in our minds like a black and white film. Aquilo goes beyond appealing to the  heart, but goes to tantalizing the soul, asking it to give into the tidal wave of feelings that we kept locked away. And strangely enough, we are willing to give into that, allowing the music to take over and make us feel the things we have refused to acknowledge. That is how beautiful and powerful Aquilo's music is. Today's instrumental music comes from the movie Never Let Me Go. I cannot claim to have seen this movie, but the score is haunting. Some of the compositions are moving, others are beautiful, and even tragic. This is a piece that encapsulates all three of these emotions. Swelling violins and a cello melody turn this piece into something that has an air of melancholy and longing to it. This is a piece that is dominated by a moving conversation between the violin and cello. A calling back and forth, trying to reach out and sing to the other. Similar to what the movie may be about. There are so many emotions wrapped up in just this piece alone, something that words will never be able to describe, something that lyrics will never be able to capture. The chorus of strings and their melodies, the soft sigh of the violas and the soft cries of the harp are moving embellishments to this piece, completing the picture of emotion and sadness this piece is painting. Rachel Portman composed something that will never be able to be put into words, in any language. I hope you enjoy the music and please feel free to comment!