Some people hear music. I enter it.

In this deeply personal—and unexpectedly universal—episode, we explore what it means to experience music not just as sound, but as place. As memory. As sanctuary. I share how certain songs don’t just play in the background of my life—they build entire dreamscapes behind my eyes. From fog-drenched forests to sun-warmed nostalgia, my playlists are emotional maps of who I’ve been and who I’m becoming.

But this isn’t just about me.

We’ll explore how music has shaped humanity for thousands of years, from bone flutes carved by ancient hands to viral bangers about fox noises. Why does music move us the way it does? Why does it make us laugh, cry, remember, dance, or heal? Why do some songs feel like coming home?

This episode is part love letter, part reflection, part invitation. Whether music is your therapy, your coping mechanism, your escape, or your joy—this one’s for you.

References and Sources:

• Higham, T. et al. (2012). Testing models for the beginnings of the Aurignacian and the advent of figurative art and music. Journal of Human Evolution. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhevol.2012.03.003
  

• Divje Babe Flute (Slovenia): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Divje_Babe_flute
  

• Hurrian Hymn No. 6 (c. 1400 BCE): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurrian_songs
  

• Zatorre, R., & Salimpoor, V. (2013). From perception to pleasure: Music and its neural substrates. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. https://www.pnas.org/content/110/Supplement_2/10430
  

• Menon, V., & Levitin, D. J. (2005). The rewards of music listening: Response and physiological connectivity of the mesolimbic system. NeuroImage. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2004.12.035
  

• Music and Brain Synchronization: Greater Good Science Center https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/the_synchronizing_power_of_music
  

• American Music Therapy Association https://www.musictherapy.org/about/musictherapy/
  

• Sulzer, D. (2021). Music, Math, and Mind: The Physics and Neuroscience of Music. Columbia University Press. [Quote cited in interviews: “Music is so ingrained in us, it’s almost more primitive than language.”]
  

• Roy Ayers: “The true beauty of music is that it connects people…” Source: Parade Magazine Interview
  

• Plato: “Rhythm and harmony find their way into the inward places of the soul.” Source: Republic, Book III
  

• On Company Time – Half Horse Half Man: https://open.spotify.com/track/0xyX41ZrT4WREhU1uyQztT
  

• Ylvis – What Does the Fox Say?: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jofNR_WkoCE
  

• Psy – Gangnam Style: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bZkp7q19f0
  

• Cinema Therapy (YouTube channel): https://www.youtube.com/c/CinemaTherapy

• Good Mythical Morning (YouTube channel): https://www.youtube.com/@GoodMythicalMorning

• Rhett and Link (YouTube channel): https://www.youtube.com/@rhettandlink