The Review - June 2024

Human hives, election music and heterodox Christians

As I begin on a summer deep dive into the realm of consciousness and individuality here are some bits that grabbed my attention this past month. More of course on the edgy heterodox Christianity, a tough reading decision and our potential Neuralink hive future.

🎶 This Isn't England by Silent Meeting

(link)

I met Seán while walking the Camino last summer. He is an artist who lives it with every fibre of his being. With his brick phone and his Medieval determination to book nothing in advance (one of only two people I met in six weeks who stuck to this original Camino spirit amidst the fears of overbooking) he was the very spirit of Camino. I remember talking a lot about Iain McGilchrist (who Seán had met), philosophy and a whole lot of garbage as well (as we at the edges of Europe love to do). But more than anything I remember the spoken word version of his songs delivered with such beauty that left my skin covered with goosebumps. And then at the end of the journey, on the beach at the “world’s end” Finisterre I remember Seán getting his hands on a guitar and singing “Wild Mountain Thyme”. It was pure beauty.

Seán has stayed off the radar of production and the internet for the most part — an old activists’ thing. It seems that same spirit has brought him onto our screens. This song is Seán doing his bit for UK election season. He was evidently worried about the Tories getting in…again (I can only imagine his horror if Reform UK were to win which is more likely than the Tories at this point). I hope you enjoy it and if he ever releases more of his music I’ll be sure to share it because it is pure gold.

Also check out his website which is a blast (link here).