Trackpacking: Explosions in the Sky

Trackpacking is a recurring series highlighting musicians that inspire me to travel.

It’s ironic, given the nature of this post, that I consider silence to be a hugely important aspect of travel. Well, mental silence to be more specific. Contemplation. Space for rumination. Room to ponder. Think about gazing out the train window as you chug between mountain peaks, or crossing a monumentally flat expanse in your rental car, or descending beneath the cloud cover just as the sun peaks over the rim of the world. I need to slow down in moments like these and process the journey and my emotions. Because it’s so bittersweet to only comprehend these intangibles after the trip is over, I am constantly seeking understanding in situ.

There is music in the world to make this easier. One band that makes it is Explosions in the Sky .

Explosions in the Sky is a four-piece instrumental post-rock band from Austin, Texas formed in 1999. Their music is immediately affecting and epic in its movements and length, taking you through delicate moments of near silence to deafening cataclysms of sound. Each song is a narrative that’s cinematic in its execution. In other words, it’s perfect soundtrack music, and I often use it as a soundtrack for my life. In fact, I rarely go on a trip without a bunch of Explosions in the Sky tracks on the iPod.

I’ve had the pleasure of seeing these guys live and it’s almost more incredible that they can pull off these arrangements on any given night. The energy of their music is contagious, filling you up with its power and sending your imagination wild with the thought of places to visit, things to do, and life to live. Beneath each song lies a powerful melody and deep emotional well, and it’s this latter aspect, especially, that draws me to the music.

Never heard of this newfangled post-rock? Don’t think you’d like rock without vocals? If you’re a fan of strong melodies, emotionally-engaging songs, or just looking for a good soundtrack for your travels, check out Explosions in the Sky. You might just find their songs echoing in your mind during those special moments of your trips.

Pack these Tracks

• The Birth And Death Of A Day , from All Of A Sudden I Miss Everyone. Explodes in and out of this world – the last best day.
• The Only Moment We Were Alone , from The Earth Is Not A Cold Dead Place. Like a flower of hope blossoming from a single, shared glance.
• Yasmin The Light , from Those Who Tell The Truth Shall Die, Those Who Tell The Truth Shall Live Forever. The fire drying tears on your cheeks.
• Your Hand In Mine , from The Earth Is Not A Cold Dead Place. A ghostly, poetic reminder that life is meant to be lived.
• Remember Me As A Time Of Day , from How Strange, Innocence. Wistful kiss goodbye, the memory of which almost becomes real.

Create a Moment

• Pour over guidebooks into the early hours with this playing through your headphones.
• Cancel the ambient train noise and drift off across the landscape.
• Fill up your place with good friends, good conversation, good drinks, and these tracks on your stereo.

Have some music that moves you? Share it in the comments – I’d love to hear it!

Original photo by Jaime Pérez via Flickr under Creative Commons