Track of the Day: Chromatics – Running Up That Hill

Every now and then, usually after a good long meditation, I remember that we’re all a bunch of thoughtforms rendered in waves of light crisscrossing in big swirls around a giant black hole that’s slowly (or, since time is imagined, quickly) drawing us down into its center where we’ll be hyper-compacted into some new form that will pass on through and emerge out the other side somewhere else in space and time. Or, you know, maybe we won’t. Whatever.

Ultimately though, while we’re still running around as flesh & bone physical apparatus in this particular form, we may as well keep doing stuff we like doing, and stop with the stuff we’re not as fond of. The reason the varied and numerous versions of Kate Bush‘s ‘Running Up That Hill‘ that’ve been released by a bunch of artists have a special resonance is because of that slinking, slowly climbing beat that underscores the entire track, carrying the lyrics along waves of meaning. Usually my rule with covers is that they’re only good if a band or artist reworks the song to suit their style. This version by Chromatics violates that rule because it’s pretty much exact the same as the original (although still in their style, too). But then, is there another way to do this song other than having it all slowly climb from somewhere deep inside and then have the beat push it up that damn hill? Probably. But I can’t imagine it.

I had a conversation with Jordan last night that was entirely about reframing reality so that we don’t fall to fall, but to get back up. This song is basically about that for me.

 

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