This year, more than previous years, I have felt the season in terms of the winter solstice. A slow, at times unwilling, hibernation creeping over my energy to do most things.
And why shouldn’t it? Though it doesn’t conform to the go-go-go of modern life, it doesn’t seem outlandish to me that the truth of our planet in orbit would affect us, governing us more fully than weary human constructs.
These are the forces we don’t see directly, but experience in the shortening of days, the turning of the weather.
Deep in our bodies, we know we are more fully immersed in the shadow side of the cycling that makes up our days, months and years.
When I was improvising this live, I had a sense of wandering — in the moment, I felt like I couldn’t quite figure out where I was supposed to go with it.
At some point, I let go of that expectation.
“This is a soundscape about darkness after all,” I thought to myself. Search though you might in the darkness, it is impossible to fully find your way.
Maybe this is a time meant for feeling a little bit lost.
Maybe it is a time meant for sitting with the darkness. Maybe that darkness has things to teach us about ourselves and about what we want to bring into our lives in the next year, as we embark on another turn around the sun.
This year, I’d like to thank you for being a part of the synthquest community, for tuning in week to week and listening to this music.
It’s become a wonderful project that I love creating, and I’m truly grateful to be on this journey with you.
I hope you all are having a wonderful season of darkness, are staying safe, and looking forward in some way to a New Year. And I hope you enjoy the tenth episode of synthquest — music for the winter solstice and a happy new year.
About Synthquest
Synthquest is an improvised, ambient music podcast and livestream.
“Episodes” are recorded live via a livestream on Twitch on Mondays and Wednesdays at 9pm CT, performed by Jen Starsinic (and friends). weekly recordings are posted as a podcast.
Created inspired by the long history of music as improvisatory, spontaneous music, Synthquest started as a way to have a music practice in real time with listeners that celebrates the imperfection of the journey of creative growth.
You can tune into the livestreamed recording of synthquest — Mondays and Wednesdays at 9pm CT.
