Welcome all to ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ป๐ผ๐น๐น๐โ๐ ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฟ, a series of weekly reviews by Charles Connolly - an artist in his own right. Here, Charles delves into the greatest brand new singles brought to you by the best unsigned artists on our electrifying and eclectic set of ๐๐๐ฌ ๐ผ๐ง๐ฉ๐๐จ๐ฉ ๐๐ฅ๐ค๐ฉ๐ก๐๐๐๐ฉ playlists.
๐โ๐ ๐๐๐ฉ๐๐๐ง ๐ฝ๐ ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ฃ ๐ ๐๐๐๐ง๐ฎ๐ฉ๐๐ก๐ - ๐ฎ๐
Charles wonders if decrypting the enigma is a wise choiceโฆ
Life is a big old thing. Or moreover, the world is a big old thing. A world chock full of billions of beings and trillions of things. Weโre not put here to understand every single one of them. Even if equipped with the best of brains, it would be quite literally impossible. Just not enough time, and not enough interest to do so - not to mention the diverse cognitive ability to undertake such a task. It would hardly be a doddle or a walk in the park. The simplest things can baffle me, but I simply and naturally learn to accept it. I urge you not to be a pedant or an irritating little blighter when reading and possibly commenting on this article. Chances are, you are cleverer than I, and that you should be proud of this knowledge. Quietly proud. Allow me to be simple and unknowledgeable. Permit me to be contentedly lost in a world of people and things.
The sky is blue because it reflects the ocean. Well okay. I can sort of see that. Except that there are no oceans around me in London. Apparently this is not the reason however. Well okay. So the ocean is blue because it reflects the sky? That would make sense. But no. Thatโs wrong too. Apparently something to do with red light being pushed away to give the appearance of blue. Well okay. If you say so. Sound works with vibrations. Sure. We all know that. But aside from the rumblings of the deepest bass, I canโt feel it. Deafening sound comes from the vibrations of a paper cone. Right. Got it. What?? Well okay. Whatever. Have you ever tried vibrating a paper cone? Well no, neither have I. But I would imagine it would not be loud, and certainly would not make beautiful music. A record playerโs needle runs along grooves engraved in a vinyl record - more vibrations. Well okay. Audio tape works with magnets. Uh-huh. Good. Right. Understood. Well, not understood in the slightest, but okay. I will take your word for it. A person is born from a man and a woman canoodling. A truly KNOWN fact. Do I understand it? LORD no. Taste is another thing. We all have different tastes in everything. This is what makes us human. But how can something so God-awful be like Heaven to some and Hell to others? โOh, itโs just tasteโ. Well okay. But itโs AWFUL! Not necessarily. Traditional cars run on petrol. Or gas, as Americans say - try running a car on gasโฆ KABOOM! We pour a liquid into a metal box on wheels and a machine works its magic, making the wheels go round and round. Yes, a combustion engine. Sure. We do not need to know HOW exactly, and most of us (certainly I) wouldnโt understand it anyway. Paper comes from trees. A common fact. I used to imagine a tree sprouting pages from the ends of its branches, then a bookmaker (the literal meaning - the maker of books) plucks them one by one. I was indeed wrong in my thinking. So if it involves cutting down the trees, how have we any trees left? How did we not run out centuries ago? It is how it is. Tomatoes also spring to mind - weird kid. How many are made every year? 180 million would be correct if each weighed a tonneโฆ! So where the hell do they all come from?! And again, how have we any left? How do they have the TIME to ripen? Questions, questions, questions. And do I mind? Not in the slightest.
People confuse, baffle and cripple my state of mind with their โlogicโ sometimes. I will not even attempt to understand THEM! So to me, the world is just one big fat enigma, full of lots of little enigmas. And I am absolutely fine with that. I like that my little Mac computer is basically a fully fledged recording and mixing studio. Do I know how it works? Nope. Do I want to? Nope. And PLEASE donโt tell me! As I have said previously, ignorance is bliss. There must be SOME enigmas that I am intrigued by though, surelyโฆ Well yes. There are a few. That doesnโt necessarily mean I want to know โthe answerโ. Why ruin the magic? One enigma for me is Bowie. Did he really die? Was he ever really here? I like to leave it a mystery. Keep it special.
Another enigma that fascinates me and many others, is rather closer to home. It goes by the name of โyaโ. No, not me. Not You either. โyaโ. In lowercase. Anna Akopyan and โyaโ are one and the same. Russia may have some secrets - more we do not wish to know - but they allowed this native to roam free, to tantalise us with mystery, and tease us with an unknown feeling of unease. Addictive unease. We want more, but we donโt know why. Anna is a unique individual who does not play a part in the theatre production that is life. She simply lives it. She is just what she seems. No acting necessary. I reviewed her EXACTLY one year ago, with an album that was one of my favourites of the year. Since then, โyaโ has released several singles, understandably always remaining one of the more popular stars of the New Artist Spotlight. Let me bring your attention to the quintessential sound of โyaโ, with her brand new original single, Iโd Rather Be Dying in a Fairytale. Well, each to their own. It is exactly what Anna is all about. The mystery continues. The cool, the darkness. The sending up of papa and also mama. There is even a hint of the occult about her - so often a part of the cooler rock artists. But โyaโ is not a rock artist. Neither is she NOT rock. โyaโ is โyaโ. Could you categorise Bowie? Would you even dare? I wouldnโt!
Float down and bliss out to what is possibly โyaโโs best song to date. It takes the vibe of the spaced-out 60s, blends it with The Verveโs first album, and liberally sprinkles much PJ Harvey with a smidge of the darker side of Kate Bush, and finally adds a dash of Tabasco for some underlying smouldering heat. It makes me sweat, in a good way. The tingle not too dissimilar to heat stroke - something weโre not supposed to like, but weโll just stay out in the burning sun a little longer. It has the closed-eyed lull of Pink Floydโs The Dark Side of the Moon, but where each member grew horns and enticed you with perfect fruit. An uncomfortable comfort that entices you beyond your wishes. A drug, if you will. I love that music can do this. That simple thing of sound. Mere vibrations. Annaโs voice is utterly natural and untuned, yet perfectly in pitch. Her voice pulls you in with an alluring slow finger. Come closer. I donโt know if I should, but I cannot resist. She has me under her spell. The band is in perfect sync, as willed by the girl herself. Oh that ringing bell-like guitar! That heavy hypnotic bassline, with just enough dissonance to keep you alert. And drums that are rarely heard outside the world of dreams. The mixing is frankly incredibly judged and impeccably pulled off. This is REAL music. Music to move the soul and shift it to the side.
This enigma has got a hold on me. I donโt understand it, and I donโt wish to.
Listen to ๐โ๐ ๐๐๐ฉ๐๐๐ง ๐ฝ๐ ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ฃ ๐ ๐๐๐๐ง๐ฎ๐ฉ๐๐ก๐ on the ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ป๐ผ๐น๐น๐โ๐ ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฟ Spotify playlist HERE!
Listen to ๐โ๐ ๐๐๐ฉ๐๐๐ง ๐ฝ๐ ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ฃ ๐ ๐๐๐๐ง๐ฎ๐ฉ๐๐ก๐ on the ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ป๐ผ๐น๐น๐โ๐ ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฟ Apple Music playlist HERE!
Watch the official ๐โ๐ ๐๐๐ฉ๐๐๐ง ๐ฝ๐ ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ฃ ๐ ๐๐๐๐ง๐ฎ๐ฉ๐๐ก๐ video HERE!
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