O Ignis Spiritus (Spring 2024 Playlist)

For the past year and a bit, on a quarterly basis, I have been sharing playlists with a selection of tracks that have soundtracked my seasons. I was about to skip Spring 2024 as the playlist didn’t feel quite fully formed, but today I’m thinking fuck it.

Mainly because I fancy an oddball mix that combines the mystical poetry of Hildergard of Bingen with underground Detroit techno, the lust-for-life-full Iggy Pop, breathtaking Bulgarian folk (which I first heard in Werner Herzog’s masterpiece Encounters at the End of the World) (#tip) and wild and horny 80s metal, among other gems, - all testament to the Fire of the Spirit- existing out there in the world.

Also because it closes with one of my favourite love songs… The Power Of Love by Frankie Goes To Holywood, which I was reminded of (and how could I ever have forgotten, I wonder) one evening playing cards with my mum with a random 80s playlist playing in the background while she was visiting Glasgow back in April. It came on and set my heart on fire. After Mama went to bed, I put my headphones on and listened to it again maybe 10 times while having a smoke in the dark…”Make Love your goal.” One for my fellow romantics.

“Where's my damn rifle

Where's my damn sabre

There's a field, open and wide

Behind it - a green forest

In the forest a tall tree

Tall and with a big trunk

On the tree, there is a birdie, a little nightingale

The birdie is singing, saying:

Those who have a beautiful beloved

Let them make love to them while they can and never have enough

Because violent years are coming

So no remorses, they'll have.”

A Birdie Sings (Pilentze Pee) - Bulgarian Folk Song