Listen "When Music Builds Worlds"
Episode Synopsis
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.2012.03.003Divje Babe Flute (Slovenia): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Divje_Babe_fluteHurrian Hymn No. 6 (c. 1400 BCE): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurrian_songsZatorre, 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_2/10430Menon, 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.2004.12.035Music and Brain Synchronization: Greater Good Science Center https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/the_synchronizing_power_of_musicAmerican 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 InterviewPlato: “Rhythm and harmony find their way into the inward places of the soul.” Source: Republic, Book IIIOn Company Time – Half Horse Half Man: https://open.spotify.com/track/0xyX41ZrT4WREhU1uyQztTYlvis – What Does the Fox Say?: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jofNR_WkoCEPsy – Gangnam Style: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bZkp7q19f0Cinema Therapy (YouTube channel): https://www.youtube.com/c/CinemaTherapyGood Mythical Morning (YouTube channel): https://www.youtube.com/@GoodMythicalMorningRhett and Link (YouTube channel): https://www.youtube.com/@rhettandlink
More episodes of the podcast Context is Everything
Reality Check - Why We Watch the Train Wreck
09/07/2025
Cursed, Possessed, or Just Dusty?
18/06/2025
The Rise and Fall of What We Wear
04/06/2025
The Messiah They Didn't See Coming
29/05/2025
ZARZA We are Zarza, the prestigious firm behind major projects in information technology.