MEHLANCHOLIA

Is it the strings of a bass or those of my heart that are being plucked when I hear those gentle base sounds? This short instrumental piece is the first song of the soundtrack composed by Bruno Alexiu for Henri-Georges Clouzot's unfinished film, Inferno. As such, we must remember that its main purpose is to establish a general mood to prepare the viewer for what’s coming. And it does so perfectly. While the brass and the flute give it a sombre and almost morose dimension, it isn’t exactly depressing as the piano and the bass add a sensual touch, creating a unique atmosphere.

This was my most listened-to song of 2023. I couldn’t and still can’t get enough of it, it is such an inexhaustible song that accompanied so many moments of my life, transforming them from mundane and depressing scenes to romantic and melancholic ones. Like those warm summer nights spent in my small Parisian studio all by myself – I used to light a few candles, wearing nothing more than panties and a white, transparent tank top, sit on a chair not too far from my open window and let myself carry wherever my daydreams would want to… Back in the day, I felt as if this song could tell something true about my life: it made me believe that those lonely moments were nothing more than a sad scene of a long, long movie about an erotic and complex woman (aka me). As my perception got more and more realistic, I was able to hear the beauty of this song without entirely drowning in an illusion. However, I must admit that it still makes me feel as if I were in a movie, and if it weren’t for my morals, I would gladly fulfill my French New Wave character’s duty of sexily smoking a cigarette while listening to it.

PS: if you’d like to completely fall in love with this song (and with Romy Schneider) watch this video that features some beautiful scenes of Inferno.

I discovered this song on my birthday, and it was the best gift I could have. Shubqono is a song dedicated to Syriac music: it is sung in the Syriac language, an Aramaic dialect (Aramaic being Jesus’ language). As a language that’s considered sacred by the Syrian Orthodox Church, Syriac music was until very recently exclusively used in religious chants. Shubqono breaks with this tradition - although it’s not the first one to do it. It is a desperate demand – or prayer, may I say – for forgiveness from a lover to their loved one. Curiously enough, "shubqono", which means “forgive me”, is also the name of the Service of Reconciliation. The parallel is clear between the faithful believers and the lover in distress – both count on mercy to be forgiven.

The song comprises a main voice, an orchestra accompaniment and a choir. The powerful lyrical singing of Abeer Nehme is perfectly emphasized by the orchestra, that compliments her voice without taking over her. Some parts could’ve been “lightened”, but it’s quickly excusable after we hear some remarkable sequences where everything is well conducted. For instance, around the fourth minute, the singing is preceded by a splendid progression by the winds, followed by the strings and the percussions’ punctuations.

The vocals are what move me the most. The sonorities from Syriac are gorgeous. The guttural speech sounds are so soft to my ears. The singer is a prodigy. Everything mixes so well that it makes me feel at the deepest part of myself the despair a lover can feel. She barely even recalls the moments spent together – all that’s left is a feeling of abandonment. It’s impossible for me to listen to this song and stay indifferent, my heart ends up begging me to shed a tear of compassion. God knows how much I despise fusional relationships where the loved one becomes part of the lover, but I would gladly cede in front of such a request for forgiveness. So, if anybody wants me to forgive them, please, sing Shubqono to me.