Music For Mental Health: Portico Quartet "Art in The Age of Automation"

When words or people are hard to come by, music does a bloody excellent job at filling in to help settle, recognize or validate emotions.

I initially stumbled across Portico Quartet by complete accident on YouTube, not realizing the 2008 Mercury Nominated 4-piece was actually an original project of Nick Mulvey prior to his departure and consequent solo record. You've probably heard their tracks on montage scenes of moody BBC dramas, and one of their songs was featured heavily in last years' television adaption of Zadie Smith's "NW." But that's what happens when you make fusion jazz with no vocals; everyone likes it but no one can name it.

Going back to PQ and their most recent release "Art in The Age of Automation", it is important to note that the entire album is lacking in lyrics. Their genre of ambient jazz relies upon intricate digital beats embellished with saxophones, pianos, modern percussion including the intoxicatingly gorgeous hang drum - all oozing with a raw edge but executed in sophisticated style. That's what I love most about their direction. It sounds effortless but its so thoughtfully composed. Endless is a personal favourite and Beyond Dialogue provides a spotlight for that previously mentioned hang drum, which is serenaded by a stunning flurry of brass melodies.

But what does this have to do with mental health? Listening to the album in full courtesy of Spotify, evoked images of my own depression being stripped down and thrust in front of a mirror. The emotions I struggle to convey with words were delicately arranged for instrumental expression by someone else and burned onto a CD for safekeeping. When you have no lyrics, you rely on the different voices of instruments to be your narrators. And that's a bit like mental health too- when you're too sick to talk, you have to find other outlets to express yourself; mine today's being the anticipated return of an underrated band. The lack of lyrics feels refreshing, freeing, and comforting.  Portico Quartet absolutely didn't set out to write this record about mental health, but its a bonus that I've found a collection of songs I can completely indulge myself in.

Listen to the complete album on Spotify here. It's available to purchase on Amazon too if you enjoy it enough.