Nobody can provide verifiable, photographic proof of love. Science can track many (most?) particles, but love – one of the necessities of life — is invisible to the naked eye. ReLove, with its single “Shining Through,” speaks to how love can be miraculously reflected by another individual. When looking at a loved one, one can truly observe real love. This isn’t verifiable. It’s no type of biology. However, it’s nevertheless true.
This song, about love “shining through from me to you,” is built around an easygoing reggae groove. It’s a happy rhythm. Yes, serious reggae, which is sometimes referred to ‘dread’ reggae is also a common style in the genre. There’s a whole wing of the reggae culture dedicated to the struggles of the downtrodden. Much of this music comes out of the slums of Kingston, Jamaica, where there’s – sadly – a whole lot of poverty. Such is certainly not the case with ReLove’s “Shining Through,” however, which sounds closer to the soundtrack for a Jamaican tourism commercial.
The track begins with a robust, bright horn intro. The vocal enters in with a smooth, positive tone. Not only does this person singing perceive love radiating out of another person, but heaven can actually be seen in that person, too. This transforms the song from something merely good vibey, to a perception elevated to a spiritual context.
The song is reminiscent of Musical Youth’s “Pass the Dutchie,” from 1982. It’s a simple, joyful celebration of love. It’s also a track that intentionally focuses on the positive. When it comes to a person’s attitude, attitude is dependent upon perspective. In other words, what you see is predicated on where you look. In this case, ReLove has chosen to focus its vision on the clear and present love emanating from another person. Sure, they could just have easily mentally pictured a Grinch-y individual and written a depressing song about that dower individual. Instead, they were moved to spotlight the goodness – a goodness that is just so darn obvious! – coming from another person.
Love is contagious, and when ReLove expresses love with “Shining Through,” it’s easy to feel good, too. This is one of the strange powers of music. Just as science cannot quantify and qualify love, so to is science unable to explain why happy music has a way of making us feel happy. And making the listener happy is the whole aim of “Shining Through.” It’s as if the group was saying – in so many words – ‘we’re feeling pretty good right now, and we’d like y’all to feel good, too.’ The group succeeds in this endeavor, too. In the same way the common cold is highly contagious, and spreads from one person to another quickly, so too are the good feelings expressed from the performer to the listener.
“Shining Through,” which is taken from ReLove’s Mission! EP, is good time, summertime music. When it plays, one can easily picture sunshine, the beach and children playing together. Images of folks barbequing, downing cool beverages and just relaxing also come to mind. Maybe this is the song you need right now. Perhaps you’ve been too focused on what’s negative in the world. Pick up on this song, and its positive vibes, and you’ll probably feel a whole lot better.
https://www.instagram.com/reloveband/
-Dan MacIntosh
