REALMA’S “DOWN THE RAILWAY SPINE”: A CINEMATIC JOURNEY THROUGH TRAUMA AND PTSD
3 min read
The chaos and struggles surrounding our world is creating a lot of trauma and PTSD for a lot of us, and sometimes it becomes very hard and difficult to deal with. Today it’s all good and the next moment you feel like your world is turning upside down, today you’re in love and the next moment that person you planned your entire life with is no more in your life, man, it’s too difficult and it’s really painful. It makes you think is it really the end? Is this how you’re gonna leave the world? Or is this who you were actually created to be? Crazy crazy stuffs, these frustrations and pain is what Realma’s latest single, “Down the Railway Spine,” talks about. A song that boldly goes deep into the realms of trauma and PTSD, with a touching and powerful message. The song which is set against a backdrop of synth-laden orchestration and futuristic visuals with it’s music video gives listeners an intense, cinematic experience that captures the struggling journey of battling with your inner demons.
Now this song “Down the Railway Spine” starts beautifully with this melodies that creates this scenes of a movie where the scene gets intense and curious, blended with these synth-pop and orchestral soundtrack music, which gives you vibes from popular video games and sci-fi epics. The track transports listeners into this atmosphere of urgency layered with unpredictable outcomes, then you’re allowed to get drowned by its pulsating beats and intricate layers of synths and vocal effects which makes you feel like you’re on some high-stakes mission, where you’re struggling to get the reason behind everything. What I love about the track is its production, very refined yet has it raw feel that adds layers of emotions which connects the listener to the song. As the song goes on, you realize the switches between the intensity of the beats, which perfectly describes the chaotic nature of PTSD. The lyrics then goes on to lay emphasis on the struggles of mental health, with lines like “I need to find an exit” and “trembling all I feel” hinting at the desperation and emotional struggle of someone dealing with trauma. Then the historical reference of ‘railway spine’, signaling at an early term for PTSD, which adds a extra depth of emotions and feel to the song’s atmosphere for the listener. Now the music video that comes with the song, is just awesome even tho it’s a 3D animated music video, it goes on to complement the song’s message and theme and also help the listener to feel and know how traumatic it is be consumed by it. The video which was created by award-winning animator Mihajlo Dragaš, takes inspirations from movies like “Tron” and “Blade Runner,” and man, just go watch the video and and experience what the term masterpiece feels like.
Well “Down the Railway Spine” indeed ain’t your regular song, the production, lyrics, feel, delivery and that top notch music video, just goes on to show you the talent embedded in Realma and her vision as an artist. The way she blended those sounds with amazing visuals and deep lyrics which creates a lasting impression on every listener and leaves a memory with them, wow, magnificent. This is a must-listen masterpiece and a becomes a must-watch as well. So what you waiting for? Go ahead and dive into the world of Realma with this single, but hey a caution tho, it’s addictive 😉, so careful you don’t find yourself repeating it all day. ENJOY!! Make sure to check her out on the links below for more;
https://www.youtube.com/@realma
https://www.instagram.com/realma_music/
English