Hello readers!

This week we’re looking at Deerhunter’s new album Why Hasn’t Everything Already Disappeared? The particular track I want to talk about today is “Tarnung”.

This track makes you pick up your phone as soon as you hear it.

Not because you want to Tweet about how great the song is (although you could). It’s because of Deerhunter’s use of a marimba within the first few seconds of the song.

A marimba is like a big wooden xylophone. Which is used to make those ringtone jingles on iPhones.

I had to look this up.  

What better way to grab your audience’s attention, right? Just make them think that their phone is ringing.

After my initial anxiety faded over the possibility of having to actually talk to someone on my phone (the horror!), “Tarnung” held my attention with it’s soothing, almost chant-like lyrics.

The lyrics are grounded, centering around natural images like rivers, rain and “gold light”. If I closed my eyes, I could almost smell the scent of peeling bark, hear the rustle of leaves above my head, feel warm touches of light than sneaked through branches on my face.

I was more relaxed after this song than if I’d just finished a strong cup of tea.

If I were meditating on top of a mountain with a bunch of Buddhist monks, this song would not have been out of place.

Maybe it was the smooth saxophone, or the steady drum beat, which was like a heart. Or maybe it was the tinkling sound of chimes. Maybe it was the combination of it all.

Whatever it was, I just found my new de-stressor track.

Check out Deerhunter’s “Tarnung”.