Week 181: “Skipping Rocks” by Oddisee

oddissee

Do you remember the first time you learned it was possible to skip rocks?

I bet you probably do. The first time someone shows you how to skip rocks, it’s like a kind of magic. You’re having a lazy day at the cottage, at camp, at the beach, or wherever, and somebody whips a stone across the surface of the water.

Your jaw drops. They might as well have levitated the rock using their minds.

This is a rock. Something heavy. Something that’s supposed to make a single splash before sinking to the bottom. But instead, this wizard of the waterfront has turned the rock into some kind of hovercraft. Instead of making a splash, like all the stones you’ve ever thrown, this one leaves a trail of expanding ripples in the water, like a jet leaving its vapors in the sky. Amazing.

Living in the grown-up world, sometimes you’ve got to seek out the things that pull you back to that kind of amazement. Maybe this song will help bring that feeling back.

What makes this a beautiful song:

1. The stuttering rhythm shared by the bass, piano and drums is the perfect instrumental representation of a stone gliding across a pond.

2. The horns really open things up as the song hits the 1-minute mark.

3. The strings in the background make sure that the horns don’t party too hard.

Recommended listening activity:

Well, obviously.

Buy it here.