Spotlight: Hymn
Hymn
By: AJM
Release Date: July 18, 2020
Released July 18th, "Hymn" is one of the first tracks by AJM music out of Portland, Oregon. An atmospheric ride of synths that drone in and out, the song ebbs and flows, leaning on a danceable pop beat that gently pulls the listener along for a pleasant ride.
When I first heard the song, I struggled to place the proper environment for which to listen: More so than anything else, "Hymn" conveys a feeling of optimism that would be hard to appreciate without the right setting. So I set it aside and waited.
Later that night, after a long day of drinking at a friend's house, it came time to head home and I realized my only option was to walk. Tired and groggy, I popped in my earbuds and headed slowly down the street. Unsure of what to listen to, I decided to pop this tune on to get a fresh take and I quickly found a better understanding of the song as it illuminated my journey home.
For better or worse, music can certainly have a strong effect on the way we perceive our surroundings. If you’ve ever had the experience of walking down a crowded street with a good pair of headphones and your favorite song, you may understand this. At its best, music enhances your surroundings, covering the visual landscape with a filtered haze to create an entirely new phenomenon altogether.
"Hymn" works well in this combined world of sound and color.
For me, it painted a deserted suburban street on a hot summer night, for you, it may be somewhere else completely, the point is that it works.
What it lacks in traditional structure, it makes up for in tone and feeling; spacey vocals hang above a thumping synthetic baseline, urging listeners to “lose yourself in sound” until the track slows almost to a halt and the beat jumps back in. At four minutes long, the song maintains a consistent groove and tempo throughout, leaving for a few moments towards the end where I found myself craving more. AJM does a nice job cultivating an upbeat energy of optimism, but I would love to hear this song build up to a higher place before it finishes.
As is the case with most music, "Hymn" is a song that grows with each listen. Its ambient nature pushes the listener to find the right atmosphere and when you do it will certainly be worth the wait. Thanks for the music to walk home to, AJM.
LINKS: SoundCloud YouTube Instagram
