10 – Music For A Womb / Before We Were Born
Things are getty gloomy and existential in the latest edition of the MESSY MIX. And I’m very excited to have one of my favourite German groups of the past years on board for this dark adventure – HOPE from Berlin just released their long awaited and pretty brilliant second album “Navel”, a true testament of musical strength and meditative intensity.
And when I asked them to contribute something to this project I was sure to get something in a similar sense. And I’m not disappointed at all.
The band introduced their mix with the words “Growing, nurturing, dwelling. In a place of your own. In contact with the world, yet detached from it.” Yes, that sums it up pretty well. “Music For A Womb / Before We Were Born” is also a pretty epic title, I have to say.
It’s a vers fascinating 60-minute journey. Listen best with headphones and any big distraction. And then give “Navel” a spin afterwards… it’s a fitting combination.
Here’s how HOPE describe their selection:
“Ever since I was a child, wonderful people in my life have introduced me to the music that has shaped my tastes and my “For this mixtape we collected songs and music that we might have heard when we were in the womb ourselves, songs we wished we had heard there, and sounds we would play to a womb. Focussing on solo works from the 80s – the time we were born into – we collect artists that nourish our soul, consciously or subconsciously, and that changed our perception of being in this world – Laurie Anderson, John Cage, Nick Drake, Pauline Oliveiros.
Deep listening, from a group mind, dedicated to a group mind. You can hear the actual heartbeat of an yet unborn child at minute 31’’. By the time you hear this mixtape, she or he will have arrived in this world.”