Missy Elliot’s song once infamously reverberated, “Music makes you lose control…” But does it? It’s hard to imagine anything making you lose control in these times that we’re going through.
The monumental effects of quarantine land amidst the Covid pandemic make the thought of losing control seem like a far-flung memory amidst the sluggish blur of lockdown.
It’s like Mother Nature has sent us to our rooms for a Time-Out and said, “Think about what you’ve done” – so why not use this time wisely?
I have noticed that two things happen when you live through an era of arm-twisting change, as we are now. Firstly, there is an inevitable surge of artistic creativity and second we remember our passions, our purpose and what truly moves us in this world. We witness the rise of our senses: acutely tuning into our surroundings – learning to decipher between the noises we need to block out and ones which we need to tune right into.
This is exactly the time when we have to reach deep into our childlike inner selves and remember.
The power of rhythm and beats is well documented throughout human history. Music is what moved us in our childhood, provided a soundtrack to our adolescent growing pains, been our solace during sad times and our cue to experiment with moving our body to a tempo – and I’m certain you can think of many more memories where its presence changed the very essence of the whole experience.
Its physiological cognitive and emotional benefits have been proven scientifically and utilized to increase oxytocin levels as it is associated with physiological relaxation. Studies also found that listening to fast-tempo music was accompanied by decreases in cortisol levels, which was associated with emotional excitement and power (Ooishi, Mukai, Watanabe, Kawato, & Kashino, 2017). Music interventions, quite literally, have the potential to enhance the overall quality of life (Vasionytė & Madison, 2013).
The joy of a melody is primal to our very construction as human beings – and lately I’ve been discovering that it’s not only humans who get psyched over a good beat – birds, monkeys and even sea lions share this fascination with us too! (I could go on this topic for quite a bit – but I will ironically practice some self-control and stick to the subject at hand.)
“It’s like Mother Nature has sent us to our rooms for a Time-Out and said, “Think about what you’ve done” – so why not use this time wisely?”
Even in the confinement of our homes, surrounded by the angst of uncertainty, we have the ability to block out all unnecessary noise, rediscover our passion for music and drift off into another vibrational frequency altogether.
I went out hunting for the best set of headphones the market has to offer today – and by ‘out’ I mean online… naturally – and stumbled upon two incredible findings that reawakened my inner roar!
Mixcder’s top of the range wireless E10s have an insane bang-for-buck ratio. They look amazing, feel amazing, are lighter than air and beautifully accentuate the sound of the beat as they minimise (if not entirely cancel) external noise. Their light weight and budget-friendly price tag does not compromise on aesthetics however – the build quality is top-notch, padding on the headrest sleek, they fold in half, the chrome hardware accents are meticulously designed and the carry case is pretty styling too.
They come built-in with 4 buttons for full control over your music, most exciting is the ANC feature (Automatic Noise Cancelling); which according to Mixcder, will reduce 96 per cent of ambient low-frequency sound. Although ANC mode drains the battery life faster, a three-hour charging session will fully recharge the headset. While off of ANC, a one-hour charge will give 30 hours battery life!
Wearing the E10s felt premium and inspiring – so much so that I wanted to explore all the different genres of music and how differently each would sound through them.
This is when I unearthed my second finding: 8D music.
What?! How long has this been around? And why have I not known about this before?
Go on… try and google this craziness. It’s like having your eyes – well ears in this case – open up to a whole new world out there!
Mixcder E10: Active Noise Cancelling Wireless Headphone $112
Welcome to the future: technology has conjured up the ability to cross into new thresholds yet again. As you listen, you’ll notice that the music is not limited to your headset, but rather emanating from the space around you. Creating the illusion of being surrounded by the sound, you hear the beats from the outside rather than within.
The only drawback is that you need a solid pair of headphones to enjoy this creative marvel. Luckily, we now have the perfect ones on hand and an absolute abundance of time to relish in our new discoveries.
