Satellite Sessions 5 – Songs For The Melancholic                                                   

 

In this 5^th edition of Satellite Sessions, we bring you 10 choice cuts from the depths of melancholic contemplation and lachrymose disposition. Its snowing like crazy here in New York, so grab a pillow, huddle up with your favourite blanket, and listen to some really really depressing songs.

Listen to all songs, old and new here. Have a great December break!

 

Aimee Mann – Wise Up

Taken off the Magnolia OST, Aimee Mann’s song was featured prominently in the film. The characters, at the low point of their lives in the movie, all stared into blank space as they mouthed the words to the song. It’s a great scene that makes its point. The song ends with the lines “Its not going to stop … its not going to stop … so just give up”. And when Aimee Mann could hardly bring herself to sing the words “give up”, her cracked voice is heart-wrenching to the extent of breaking point. The floodgates have opened.

 

Apocalyptica – Nothing Else Matters

What happens when a Swedish string quartet decides to do an album of Metallica covers? Beauty, that’s what. These guys bring out the inherent sadness that underscores Metallica songs, digging deep beneath the layered guitars and vocals, and laying that instrumental canvas bare on the traditional 4-instrument string quartet setup. It is such a bizarrely cool idea, and the fact that Metallica songs lend themselves so well to a string instrument makes this song all the more special.

 

Chicane - Locking Down

Chicane does wonderful trance songs, chill-out or full-on, he covers it all with a melodic sensibility that engages the listener’s mind. In this Indian-inspired piece, its all about the vocal and the breakbeat coming together for 4 minutes. Peaceful, calm, serene.

 

Frou Frou – Let Go

Edwin, my suitemate, introduced me to this song by playing it on our radio show Radio Pangaea on WBAR Barnard College’s radio station. It is classy and well-produced, rare attributes for a potentially ‘poppy’ sounding record. Her voice is coyly smoothing, and expresses the despair and joy of letting go so coaxingly you just want to join in.

 

Icehouse – Don’t Believe Anymore (Ivan Gough and Colin Snape Remix)

The remixes come from Down Under, as does the song. The song is smooth as silk, with sound samples that tinkle in and out from the onset, all the way through to the almost spoken vocals, to the piano lead. Ahhh … breakbeat at its mellow best.

 

Kyo – Derniere Danse

Back from Geneva and his UNHCR summer internship attachment, my roommate Roberto has been bombarding me with songs from that time period. This song was on the top of the list, a rock ballad with an infectious chorus that puts matchbox 20 and other wannabe bands to shame. They are really young too.

 

Ke – Strange World

Ahhh … the enigma that is Ke. Popping out of nowhere in 1994, this song encapsulates all the cynicism you can throw at the world. All the senseless hating, destroying, judging … its all there for those essential angry raging moments in your life when you question why is this world so messed up in so many ways. Cheers. =)

 

Moby – My Weakness

Used in an x-files episode, this haunting closer for Moby’s Play album has all the qualities of what an emotional electronic music piece should be about. The repetition of the vocal sample, the strings as they get higher and higher creates a evocative mood that lingers long after the song is over. Its that good.

 

Tom Waits – Fall Of Troy

This song is based on a true story about the deaths of two young boys. Depresses the hell out of me, but Tom Waits is at his songwriting peak here – simple piano, that voice, and somber subject.

 

Twelfth Night – The Wind and the Rain

Shakespeare could make great songs too! I watched the Donmar Warehouse production of Twelfth Night and Uncle Vanya last semester – and it was brilliant. The live music was just right, not too intrusive and did its job of setting the mood. When the fool stood alone in the centre of the stage, spotlight focused on him as he sang this song as the closer for the show, it was magical. The ephemeral nature of all things, like the wind and the rain, nay so well expressed.

 

U.N.K.L.E. – In A State

DJ James Lavelle’s little production side project may have lost DJ Shadow as a contributor, but as this song goes to show, it may not be so disastrous after all. When Sasha dropped his remix of this song at Zouk Out this year, mayhem on the dance floor, or should I say, mayhem in Marina South. The filtered guitars, creepy vocals, and progressive feel of the track hit the right spot. Dance away.