Romanticism, a popular aesthetic movement that came out of the late eighteenth century, has a characteristic investment in the depth and universality of human emotion. It is both a philosophy and a lens through which art is created and viewed, and it particularly applies to music in a special way. The intensity of emotion is most often captured, embodied, and conveyed the best through music, as the nature of music is that it exists as a sonic art that reaches people and consumes them, affecting them through pure energy and vibration. One band in particular that originates from Charleston, SC called Stop Light Observations is particularly masterful at utilizing this Romantic technique of affecting emotions, actions, decisions, and perspectives through music that reflects, expresses, and inspires such emotional intensity. The result of this Romantic expression is a heightened, shared emotional energy among listeners, a connection through the universality of this music and its ability to reach others on such a basic, inherent level, and actions and inspiration resulting from this artistic enhancement, whether it is in the form of dance or an inciting of passion and emotional stimulation. It is a somewhat mysterious and yet also simple phenomenon, one that is easily comprehended and understood, but difficult to explain.

Stop Light Observations' music is music that is impossible to listen to casually. The energy, pure and raw and untamed, is a characteristic trait of this band. Their songs, alternative and complete mutations of different musical genres, all follow a similar structure: they all begin more subdued and eventually build into a total explosion and release of energy. They create a sense of awareness and complete existence in the present because the energy is consuming and absorbs the listeners’ complete attention and focus. Audiences are captured and awed by passing moments, taken away from their thoughts of the past and future to revel in the current experience.

For example, the songs “Obsidian”, “Smilers of the Night”, and “Circadian Rhythms (Dusk) from Stop Light’s album Radiation are all incredibly energized, invigorating songs. The concluding guitar solos and symphony of synths and sonic noise collages

tend to force the listener to live purely in the moment, and the music seems to transition from something that is heard to something that is felt. It is a similar experience to the well known phrase “Carpe Diem” or “Seize the Moment”, a euphoric encouragement to take advantage of the present and all it offers. To quote a song by the band In the Valley Below called “Peaches”, which parallels Stop Light Observations’ theme of living in the now through intense emotion, “we won't live too long/so let's love for one song” (In the Valley Below). It implores the same thing that Stop Light does but in a more direct way; “Peaches” explicitly states that life is short, and the present is incredibly valuable, while Stop Light Observations creates this impression through their music and the enrapturing emotion it conveys. 

In summary, what Stop Light succeeds in doing is creating art that engages listeners through emotional vigor, a technique that is particularly Romantic. The art becomes the emotion, and the emotion becomes the art, and listeners are captivated by it. As Faflak and Richard put it, “in Romantic feeling, experience and the aesthetic become intimately, irrevocably, unassimilably imbricated” (6). The Romantic heightened energy defines Stop Light Observations’ music, and not only engages listeners in the present through basic emotional engagement, but also creates a connection among listeners, particularly those in large crowds.

Music is already an incredibly universal and unifying art, but Stop Light Observations especially accomplishes this through their music. One specific song that embodies audience connection through Romantic artistry is “Purple People” from Radiation, a song that is both contagious and attractive in its energy and exciting, out of control sound and also has a lyrical theme that centers on kindness, acceptance, and peaceful unity among people who are different. It completely inspires a sense of harmony and cooperation, erasing boundaries and creating links between listeners because they essentially bond over the experience of the music. Disagreements and inconsistencies between people become irrelevant in the face of such a universal and collectively understood expression. Similar to Stop Light Observations’ intent with “Purple People”, Pruitt declares in his academic essay addressing music in Northern Ireland that “music can serve a significant function in inspiring a spirit of community and dialogue in public life” and it can ultimately “play an important role in creating cultures of peace” (84). Pruitt essentially is justifying his claim that the corrupted youth of Northern Ireland in particular can be healed, inspired, and brought together by music. He contends that music is so universal and so emotionally charged that it has the ability to create this connection, and this is the exact social push seen in Stop Light Observations’ music. It opens people's minds and brings them to a simpler, more primal level that is universally shared as part of the human experience. Sonically, “Purple People” takes action with its lyrical message and breaks down barriers, stripping away differences, enlightening listeners through intense, Romantic emotion, and establishing this valuable connection. 

Unity through peace and positivity isn't the only type of connection music can create however, and Stop Light Observations taps into these different connections as well. In a particular NPR podcast, a Bob Dylan concert during the 1960s was discussed in which Bob Dylan brought an electric guitar on stage to play his songs, deviating from his usual acoustic style. According to the hosts, “the reaction was very intense” and “how much booing there was is hard to say” (NPR). This perfectly exemplifies unity in an audience; although some in the crowd cheered Dylan on, many listeners were enraged by the unexpected change and were unified through their rage and passion. Stop Light Observations utilizes this furious passion as well, bringing societal issues to light and getting people excited, indignant, and motivated to change them. “Purple People” brings to light problems with discrimination and harsh, shallow judgements that tend to be a trend and dominate society, dividing people and pitting them against one another. By connecting and unifying people through awareness, Stop Light thus creates reaction and inspiration from their music and the motivation it provides.

The Romantic expression of emotions often leads to inspiration in the affected audience, and Stop Light Observations’ music is no exception. Physical reactions to music can range from dance to mass movements and rebellions. The depth of intense, emotional music allows for influence and undoubtedly can be used as a tool to encourage certain behaviors or to create and introduce different mindsets. As Ahtisaari and Karanam state in their discussion of music and emotion, “Humans are one of the extremely few species that can synchronize their body movement to music” (1). Music clearly reaches people on a level that is understood and is easily translated into action. This action is often dance, a common response to stimulation through music, and is usually difficult to resist because music is so stimulating. Beyond dance and physical movement however, music stimulates and inspires broader actions. It is so influential in this way, in fact, that it can be used to specifically elicit certain responses and behaviors. According to North, Tarrant, and Hargreaves, a study was conducted showing that “soothing music promoted greater levels of altruism” (267). Essentially, certain types of music encourage certain types of behavior, and if this knowledge is utilized, behavior can almost be controlled through music. Stop Light Observations uses this technique to reach their listeners as well. Through highly charged songs and Romantic emotional depth, lyrical messages and sonic intent, Stop Light encourages their audience to take incentive and action. They unify people, and then inspire them, using extreme emotion as the catalyst. It is an effective artistic system, and it succeeds in enhancing and elevating the Romanticism of their music. This is element is what defines them as a band, and what makes their music so powerful and impressive.

Stop Light Observations is a band that embodies Romantic emotion. They build the intensity of their songs, create a consuming crescendo of feeling, and encourage passion, motivation, and inspiration. They embolden audiences through their Romantic techniques, reaching through the art of their music to touch listeners. They find success in the responses from their audience, and this is a true sign that they have mastered the nature of Romanticism itself. Connecting people and themselves through music, and creating art that reflects life, and in turn causing life to reflect their art, is a feat that marks them as a noteworthy artist. They continue to incite and stimulate, building an enthused fan base that draws from the energy of their music and participates in an emotional experience that is unlike much else. It exemplifies the Romantic emotional movement and pushes Stop Light Observations forward, giving them a special momentum and a general aura of significance.

 Works Cited

Faflak, Joel, and Richard C. Sha. Romanticism and the Emotions. N.p.:           Cambridge UP, 2014. Print.

In the Valley Below. Peaches. Jay Tauzin, 2013. MP3.

Pruitt, Lesley. “Music, Youth, and Peacebuilding in Northern Ireland.” Taylor &                  Francis Online.             N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Nov. 2015.

“50 Years Ago, Bob Dylan Electrified A Decade With One Concert.”NPR. NPR,        n.d. Web. 20    Nov. 2015.

Ahtisaari, Marko, and Ketki Karanam. “Music and Emotion.” RSS. The Sync          Prokect, n.d. Web. 20 Nov. 2015.

North, Adrian, Mark Tarrant, and David Hargreaves. “The Effects of Music on       Helping    Behavior.” The Effects of Music on Helping Behavior. Sage           Publications, 2014. Web. 20     Nov. 2015.