Europa Hymn from Martin Gore’s solo electronic album (MG) is perfection. Equal parts melancholy, reflective, poignant. What is its tone? Absolutely wistful. In view of beauty. Perhaps bowing down to beauty. A hymn, paying honor to something grand, something transcendent.
Martin Gore knows how to translate this very emotion to music so skillfully. He brings it into Depeche Mode, and oftentimes people are clouded by the cheese or Dave’s machismo – but it’s there almost all of the time. This longing. This void of being human, and not being or having everything.
I sometimes wonder what came first? It’s a chicken and egg scenario. Do I love this music because it mirrors my soul? Or did I become conditioned to this music because I loved it during my formative years? Or a bit of both? I feel so fortunate to have found this music – to know an artform that moves me like this. Even if or when I am not feeling melancholy, I think this beauty is superior above all.