Ode to Verena
Some songs, and some stories.
As we wrapped our annual meeting, and look forward to our blossoming projects underway in 2021, we thought it would be fun to gather our scientists’ perspectives on what they think makes Verena special… and what better way to express ourselves than with a mixtape?
Listen to the playlist on Spotify, and read more about why we chose the songs we did below.
Plus, as you listen to our playlist picks below, check out our priority areas for 2021!
Colin
It’s hard to separate Verena from COVID. Verena is this thing we’ve built, each in our own homes, each in our own little world of problems, without the benefit of sitting in the same room and putting the pieces together. We still don’t quite know what the sound will be when this is over - we don’t get to know what we’re building yet, and there’s something very special in that.
Timothée
The Portal 2 OST is called "Songs to Test By", and this is one of my go-to records for software development, and had been a mainstay when working on VIRION. The blend of symphonic keyboards and unhinged electronic music is perfect to give you the impression that your brain is entirely fried but also you are doing great thing; incidentally, so is the whole VERENA experience. A cool bit of meta-textuality is that Portal 2 is about the pursuit of science whatever the cost, and VERENA stands for the exact opposite of this. We don't do science as a flex, but as an act of service that sincerely wishes to make things better. Also this song S L A P S.
Evan
In contrast to popular depictions of "Eureka!" moments, scientific progress is actually more of a slow push: it usually takes a tremendous amount of effort to nudge the boundaries of our knowledge outward even a tad. This was even more true in 2020, when just getting by was a grind for so many. "Keep On Pushing" acknowledges situations where progress seems stalled and manages to maintain a lightness and optimism despite heavy realities. For me, the Verena community in 2020 provided scientific encouragement and excitement in a year in which those emotions were sorely lacking overall. Sometimes all it takes is a slightly new perspective on a problem or a few words of validation to push through our barriers.
Sadie
This is old bouncy noisy dance music, called "Infected", so it's prepackaged bubblegum for viral emergence. However, musicologically, it's different from other club tunes of its era, as it uses major chords, and does this perpetual ascending bit, so (if you can tolerate this kind of sound) it amps you up, and keeps amping upward. I feel like this is a distillation of Verena energy - a quasi Shepard tone effect in which we keep going upward.
Lily
This song makes me happy and fits with the goals and resiliency of this group!
Rebecca
When I'm bogged down in the goings on of the day and I need to think about the things that I want to do versus the things that feel like weights around my neck, Verena is the former. Similarly, this song always makes me happy when I otherwise feel like burning down the world and killing all the things with fire.
Max J.
There are so many great personalities in Verena, and the back and forth is unrivaled in my experience, except perhaps by the musicians playing on Charles Mingus' 1960 release of Moanin' on the Blues and Roots album.
Rory
Don Cherry's work, especially with the Organic Music Society, is a testament to the magic that can happen when you bring perspectives from all across the map into one place to sing together. That ethos, plus the title of this track, resonates a whole lot with the Verena approach and feeling. Plus, this record is such a constant source of joy and hope, even in these strangest of times.
Anna F.
This song was released in spring 2020, right before I had my first conversation with the Verena team. After speaking with Colin & the other PI’s, I instantly knew I had found a group of people I wanted to work with for a long time to come. To me, the message of this song (and of Verena) is that we can accomplish so much more together than we can individually.
Tad
Much of the cool part of Verena to me is that we push forward interesting science in the short-term but there is so much long-term planning and development. It feels less like collaborating on specific projects, and more like community building, which is pretty great.
Ryan
Fuges are all about an intricate interplay between parts to make something more amazing than the parts by themselves, and to me that is also a great description of ecological systems, and the human system that is this consortium. This fuge is the best fuge ever. Period.
Max F.
Jeff Parker's 'Suite for Max Brown' was a top album of 2020 for me. The minimal yet driving track 'Fusion Swirl' starts with a high energy groove perfect for the fast paced world of Verena-style science, but finds balance half-way with serene tones and meditative guitar.
Steph
Happy little tune I find myself singing on the second friday of the month when we have lighthouse talks. A little on-the-nose, but lyrics include "If you want to make your dreams come true, you'll be a lighthouse keeper too.”