Reflected Notes

Playing with reflection in music – it’s an ancient realm of rhythm, vantage and math.

From scrying songs to neuroscientists who stimulate mirror neurons by dancing in reflections, to singing songs in reverse…Mirroring in music offers 180 degree options, reveals complementarities, and balances harmonies.

That musical mirrors disorient, captivate, and fascinate are certainly key reasons in me hearing about the album “Synthetica” by Canadian band Metric.It references this looking-glass effect on different levels – melodically, lyrically, and physically.

The actual cd comes with lyrics sheets that are printed in reverse. A small Mylar mirror insert is included.Interesting: Mylar is not a perfect mirror but enough for those with the eyes to see. So smart.

For me, backward-ing the letters compels me to slow down, to look longer, to examine assumptions about meaning, to view a song with new eyes.For Metric musician Emily Haines, the album “is about forcing yourself to confront what you see in the mirror when you finally stand still long enough to catch a reflection.”

Album designer Justin Broadbent is likes to inspire “looking into things that are looking into things.”That’s what the art and science of mirror reading are for me: Visual explorations. Topsy turvy. Exciting and new…Intrigued? The details of this album are special. The Limited Edition Synthetica album even comes with a Stereobox and slides for you visual people.

Have any musical reflections? Share them with us!

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