Unlocking the Dark Matter of Communication: How Music Fills the Space Between Words
In a quiet moment over this past weekend, I found myself writing a poem, reflecting on thoughts and questions that have been swirling in my mind for some time. It wasn’t until I put those words "on paper" that I realised I’d been working on a theory—one that had been simmering subconsciously for years. The poem, which now feels like the catalyst for this article, explores the mysterious ways in which music connects us, transcending the limitations of language and filling the spaces where words fall short.
For most of my life, I’ve been lost in my own thoughts, overwhelmed by a multitude of ideas and emotions that I couldn’t quite grasp or articulate. It was as if I had the pieces of a puzzle but no picture on the box to guide me. Then, about a year ago, everything changed. I was diagnosed as neurodivergent, and suddenly, it felt like someone handed me a dictionary and an encryption key, unlocking the deepest recesses of my mind and, in some ways, the secrets of humanity itself.
Music, I’ve come to realise, is a form of that encryption key—a universal code that deciphers the complex, often hidden emotions and thoughts that words alone can’t express. Just as dark matter, though invisible, holds galaxies together, music fills the voids in our communication, binding us in ways that are deeply felt but not always consciously understood.
The Unseen Force of Music
In the physical universe, dark matter is an elusive, unseen substance that makes up a significant portion of the cosmos. It doesn’t interact with light, making it invisible, yet its gravitational pull is what keeps galaxies intact. Without dark matter, the universe as we know it would unravel.
Similarly, in the realm of human interaction, there are gaps that words cannot fill. Language, while powerful, is limited. It can describe, inform, and express, but it often fails to convey the full spectrum of human experience. This is where music comes in. Like dark matter, music is intangible and invisible, yet it has the power to hold together the emotional and social fabric of our lives.
The other day, I observed a homeless man seated at a public piano. He carefully drew a small book from one of the scruffy bags he was carrying. As he placed the book in the cradle of the piano, I noticed it wasn’t sheet music but a Bible. He turned to the first page, where hardly any words were written, and then began to play. The music he produced was vaguely familiar, yet the arrangement, much like the man’s appearance, was mostly unrecognisable. This scene spoke volumes about the power of music. It wasn’t just a melody; it was a journey, a means of transport for the man—a way to transcend his circumstances. As I watched, I realised it wasn’t just the man who was affected; everyone who observed him, including myself, was moved by the raw, unfiltered emotion in his playing.
These days, my taste in music has become incredibly eclectic. I find myself drawn to everything from the intricate compositions of Mozart to the pulsating beats of techno and electronic dance music. Whether it’s the refined elegance of a classical instrumental piece or the raw energy of a dance track, each genre speaks to different facets of my inner world. It’s as if each type of music resonates with different frequencies within me, uncovering layers of thoughts and emotions that I wasn’t even aware were there.
If I reflect on my personal taste in music from what I now call my prior life—the one I knew before gaining a conscious understanding of how my mind operates as a neurodivergent individual—I realise I was typically attracted to music where the artist was revealing stories of their lived experience. At that time, music sounded like pleasant noise, and while I used to sing along, the lyrics didn’t hold any real meaning for me—they were just an enjoyable melody that my ears appreciated. It’s only now, with this new understanding, that I see how those lyrics were filled with hidden narratives and emotions that my mind couldn’t fully grasp then.
Now, when I listen to artists like U2, Nirvana, Foo Fighters, Metallica, Moby, Coldplay, The Killers, Muse, and others, it’s as if I’ve gained a whole new understanding—a deeper appreciation of what they are saying. The same songs I’ve listened to countless times have taken on new dimensions, revealing insights into the life experiences and emotional depths these artists are sharing. It’s as though I’ve been given a new set of ears, ones that can finally hear the stories behind the melodies, the truths buried within the verses.
For instance, “No One Knows” by Queens of the Stone Age is one such song where the messaging speaks loud and clear. In the past, it might have been just another catchy tune to me, but now, it resonates on a much deeper level, revealing layers of meaning and emotion that were previously hidden. It’s this newfound ability to decode the true essence of these songs that has enriched my relationship with music in ways I never expected.
Music transcends language barriers, cultural differences, and even the boundaries between species. It’s why a girl raised speaking Hindi can sing Western songs fluently, or why a pack of wolves howls in harmony under the moon. These sounds, these vibrations, resonate on a level that bypasses the conscious mind, speaking directly to the soul.
Music as an Encryption Key
Reflecting on my own neurodivergent mind, I now see music as a kind of encryption key. Before my diagnosis, my thoughts and feelings were like encrypted data—complex, jumbled, and often indecipherable. Music, in its purest form, became the key that unlocked these thoughts, allowing me to translate them into something coherent, something that could be understood both by myself and others.
This is not just a personal revelation but a universal truth. Music has always been a way to access and decode the deeper layers of human experience. It’s why we can listen to a song in a language we don’t understand and still feel its meaning. It’s why certain melodies can evoke memories, bring comfort, or inspire action. Music communicates on a level that transcends words—it’s a language of its own, one that everyone, regardless of background or language, can understand.
In many ways, music is the subconscious revealing itself—a form of internal dialogue transformed into art. It’s as if our thoughts and emotions are being woven into a tapestry of infinite colours and waves, each note a thread in the complex fabric of our existence. This tapestry can be interpreted in countless ways, each listener finding their own meaning within the layers of sound. Music is a universal language, understood by all beings, sentient or otherwise, as it speaks directly to the essence of existence.
The Space Between Words
In the poem I wrote, I explored the idea that the space between words is filled by music, much like dark matter fills the voids in space. These spaces, these silences, are where the true essence of communication often lies. Words can tell you what someone is thinking, but music can tell you what they’re feeling. It’s in these gaps, these pauses, that music weaves its magic, creating a connection that is as profound as it is mysterious.
When we communicate, whether through speech, writing, or even non-verbal cues, there are always things left unsaid. These unsaid things—emotions, intuitions, and subconscious thoughts—are what music addresses. It’s as if music has the ability to decode these hidden messages, translating them into a form that we can all understand and feel.
Just as dark matter shapes the universe, music shapes our internal landscapes. It brings to the surface the dialogues we often keep hidden, converting them into a shared experience that transcends individual understanding. In this way, music is not just filling the spaces between words but expanding those spaces, allowing us to explore the depths of our own consciousness and connect with others on a profound level.
Conclusion: The Harmony of Understanding
As someone who has spent a lifetime trying to make sense of a mind that operates differently, I’ve come to appreciate the profound role that music plays in communication. It’s not just a background soundtrack to our lives; it’s a fundamental part of how we connect with each other and ourselves. Music is the dark matter of communication—unseen, often unacknowledged, but essential to holding everything together.
The poem that sparked this article was not just an artistic exercise but a moment of realisation. It was the moment when I understood that the theory I’ve been working on, both consciously and subconsciously, is not just about music—it’s about the very nature of human connection. Music is the encryption key that unlocks the deeper layers of our minds, the universal language that fills the spaces between words, creating harmony where there was once only silence.
In the end, we may use spoken words, created by man, but music needs no translation. It is, in itself, the translation of the soul.
A poem by Troy Lowndes - © 2024
Hieroglyphics
Art or something else,
Connection or something else,
The ultimate bond—
Invisible threads,
Weaving across time and space,
Breaking the silence,
Healing the unseen,
Reviving forgotten echoes.
A voice born in one tongue,
Singing in another,
A language understood,
Yet never spoken.
In the heart of the forest,
Where tribes whisper to the wind,
Songs ripple through leaves,
Vibrations that shatter the quiet,
Transcending the canopy,
Reaching the unseen.
Whales sing beneath the waves,
Songs carried by currents,
Music to us,
Words to them—
An ocean of meaning,
Untranslated,
Untranslatable.
Hieroglyphics,
As if etched by stardust.
A harmonica plays,
And the dog listens,
Harmony born of breath,
Instinct meets sound,
A wolf’s cry to the moon,
Echoing through the night.
In music, we reveal the hidden,
An internal dialogue,
Transmuted into art,
A tapestry of infinite colours and waves—
Thoughts and emotions woven together,
Each thread a whisper,
Each note a shade,
Interpreted in countless ways,
Universally understood,
By beings of all kinds,
Sentient or otherwise.
We speak in words,
Man-made and fragile,
But music—
Music speaks in the spaces,
Where language dares not tread.
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