Good evening, readers!
As promised, I’ll be talking about a few of the songs I’ve listened to that have inspired key scenes in “Aequitas”, the upcoming sequel to “Vox”. I’ve also decided to make a permanent “Inspiration Through Music” weekly post in order to focus on one song and/or musical artist that has inspired my writing in some way. I will be creating a page where all of the links will be posted. It will be located on the blog roll in the right hand column. I have also placed my “Food Adventures” page there for you to find the links to those. [I’ve decided to try making a cheesecake for this week’s project! Hopefully it goes better than the pastitsio…]
I will be discussing five songs which I listened to in order to help inspire certain scenes in “Aequitas.” All of them are very different from one another, but are incredibly expressive and always drop me into the scene with ease while I listen to them. I don’t want to give too much away as to what happens in these scenes so I’ll be doing something that my favorite writer, Anthony Bourdain, did for a chapter in his book “Medium Raw.” The best way to do this is to open the link in a separate tab and listen to it as you read the vignettes below. Once you’ve read them, feel free to check out the corresponding youtube videos (especially the one for #3).
#1: Nisi Dominus by Antonio Vivaldi
performed by Andreas Scholl
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuRsSe1qlB8
Right away, the music is haunting and low. There is a menacing rhythm to it as the violins in the background chime in with higher notes. You feel like something is coming. Something bad is brewing under the surface of this place just waiting to erupt. You look up into the high ceiling of the cathedral and hear the tenor’s voice echo, bounding through the ribbed arches, pinging against the stained glass windows the color of azure Grecian waters. You sit in your pew, thousands of candles casting a hazy glow over the faces of everyone around you. There is a casket near the alter before you. You know who is inside. And you are relieved that they are dead. But you still don’t fully understand why.
#2: Machine Gun by Portishead
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7lSUgdqZUM
You are jerked back into consciousness by a sudden stench. It’s awful. It makes your stomach turn and you almost wretch. You try to open your eyes but any light singes them. By the time, you can get them open, the room you’re in is all a blur. You crawl across the floor like tortured prey waiting for the final blow. There must be a reason that you’re feeling as nasty as you are. Too much alcohol last night? The taste in your mouth is worse than any aftertaste of beer you’ve ever had. Even worse, someone’s talking now and his voice is irritating. It drawls and mumbles. You’re not entirely sure who he is or what he’s saying. Everything suddenly makes sense when you reach out and feel skin. Your eye sight clears. The body lying before you isn’t moving.
#3: Canvas by Imogen Heap
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csrQgWBgfo8
The cold is crisp as you get out of the car. You take the first steps off the road and into the forest. Your shoes crunch through fresh powder. They sink deeper and deeper the further you travel. The trees seem to vanish overhead in the night but you can hear the clumps of snow falling through them, a rustle here and there. It catches you off guard. You know that these woods might not be safe. But, you travel them still. You need to get there before its too late. You’re eager to get there. And yet, you feel a serenity hiking through the forest in the dead of night. You can be alone with your thoughts here. The snow becomes heavier as you climb a hill side. It filters through the evergreen branches and the light from your flashlight dances with the many shadows thrown across it. Once you crest the hill, you look down at a house nestled in the trees. Lights are on inside. You pray that the person inside is still alive.
#4: Miranda by Slowdive
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jphrbNdXMc4
Once you’re in the water, you know you can’t go back. You’re every impulse is to climb out and stay on safe dry land. Everything in this underwater world doesn’t make sense. The rules are different down here. You don’t know what to expect, let alone how you can survive if something goes wrong. Still, the answers are down there, buried in this half-sunken city. You need to do this. If you don’t, the murders will continue. You work up a steady stroke, moving through the icy liquid as you pull yourself down further. A shadow passes over you and for a moment, your panic spikes. But it’s only a manta ray, it’s wings rippling as it flies away from you. The longer you’re weightless and wrapped in water, the more you begin to ease. There’s nothing to be afraid of here. You’re the monster that prowls the night. Whatever’s down here should be afraid of you. And then, you hear the swish of water. Then, a louder one. And the water visibly thrashes somewhere up ahead. That new-found confidence of yours has vanished. You’re no longer alone.
#5: Fire by Hans Zimmer from the “Angels and Demons Original Motion Picture Soundtrack”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tow27AWUIGE
The tickle in your throat is the first sign. It tells you that something is most definitely wrong. Then the heat, like a furnace. If you could sweat, it would be pouring from your brow, the perspiration making your clothes sticky on your back. The paint on the wall peels back, leaving strange blank shapes in the mural there. People with half of their faces slowly charred. The smoke rolls off of the wall and rises to the ceiling, running along it like water. It grows thicker and thicker. You’re forced onto your hands and knees to be able to see anything. You slam a palm against the bars on the cell door once again. You have no keys. There’s no way out unless you can just reach that gun on the dead guard’s belt. You launch your arm through the cell door bars, fingers straining to catch hold of it’s grip. When you turn around again, the wall is engulfed in plumes of orange flame. It won’t be long until the entire cell is consumed.
[This writing is all original and copyrighted to author, Katherine Silva. As these vignettes portray upcoming scenes in “Aequitas”, I urge you that if you share them please credit me properly!]
Thirsty for more on Aequitas? If you didn’t catch my earlier post ‘Aequitas: A Sneak Peek of What’s Ahead‘.
Stay tuned for next Tuesday’s ‘Inspiration Through Music’ post! I’ll be writing about five of the key songs that helped to inspire my first book “Vox.”
Good night!
KSilva
The Kat At Night 