{Today's Soundtrack}

A bit more on the soundtrack of the day - {Aaron Strumpel} and his Elephants and Vespers.

Recently, totally mysteriously to me, I was invited to hook on to a social network based in the states, Love Is Concrete. I still don't know how, or through whom, or why on their part, but I'm really glad this happened because of today's music-maker.

I gather–but could be wrong (Aaron, correct me!)– that this man lives as hermit in the mountains of Colorado. If so, this is the best advert I have found amongst my contemporaries for choosing a life of solitude and contemplation, in order to ensure that what you do contribute is pure, unbound, captivating and wholly to the point.

'Vespers' is an EP just released, inspired by the Psalms, expressed by a human who seems to be utterly engaged with all that means. It is much softer than 'Elephants', as you may imagine evening prayers to be, but no less real for that. In fact, at times, this music is heartbreakingly vulnerable. It is truly devotional, without a trace of schmultz.

On 'Elephants', again many beautiful sounds weave lovely but vulnerable, heartfelt pining in and out of gentle contemplation, and you feel as though you can breathe again. If you are listening properly, this is quite empowering. Hold on to your hats at this stage, as the Elephants are about to throw out a throat-ripping scream into heaven! You may find–at the point you are most disarmed with their bassy gentleness–that something else kicks in helplessly: fists clenched, eyes tight shut, mouth open and...

It's like you've been welcomed into a spacious place, listened to, calmed, then encouraged to let out really what's going on. This music is very special, and is what prayer really is. If you want to pray, but don't know how, you could do a lot worse than pick up this music and let it play, but beware: this is not music to have on in the background. It demands your all, and rightly so if you care about anything on this planet.