REVIEWS
SHREYA BOSE
16
The
Score Magazine
highonscore.com
Naked Soul (Madboy):
Soliloquy (Komorebi):
I confess that I am an overeager fan
of Komorebi's sound. She directs
electronic notes to incredibly fragile
places. As in her earlier work, Soliloquy
treads lightly but surely. Every track
is dainty and mellifluous without
compromising an inch of character.
Tarana quite obviously plays with her
sounds, not taking them too seriously
or expecting them to adhere to the
demands of a distinct message.
Take ‘Little One’. It features Warren
Mendonsa, a man with an unmissable
sound. It morphs to becomes entirely
different, serving the nuance of its
context. But, by no means, is it lost.
It is simply a different breed. The
same happens with Mohini Dey in
Hurricane and Real. Komorebi’s work
is compelling, and builds its own world
with no effort. She manages to express
a vast spectrum of human emotion with
inspiring, and possibly misleading ease.
The songs are deliciously addictive.
She does not pretend to cater to the
thoughtless. Her musical sensibility
is built on the cinematic mystery
of shadowy whispers and batting
eyelashes. Simultaneously, she
does not shy away from creating a
storm when the sentiment calls for
it. Tarana is not just easygoing, she
creates spontaneous enchantment.
Smooth is a strange word. Overused
but underrated. It is used to describe
whiskey, satin sheets, first dates,
and any number of things that feel
good and inspire no hassle. I feel
almost guilty ascribing the word
to Madboy's unhurried, laid-back,
polished single. The delicious texture
of the sound winks and whispers
of Madboy’s departure from the
breathless, almost harried danceability
common to fans of Madboy/Mink.
He switches to paying heed to retro
influences, coating them in the basics
of futurism, and playing around until
a delectable balance is materialised.
The music video is impressive. I'm not
sure I understand how the aggressive
modulations of a skilled contortionist
play into the repose-friendly and trip
inducing signatures, but it is definitely
a visual treat. It’s uncommon (unless
you're into Glass Animals' Hazey) and
unpredictable, both qualities easily
attached to Imaad Shah. He abandons
any overt Madboy/Mink sensibilities
for his solo, tipping his hat to the
Space Age frolics from the late 50's
and early 60's. Despite the unhurried
progression, Shah manages to infuse
the irreverence that characterised
his early acting days, as well as the
boisterous wind of Madboy/Mink.
He certainly does enough to hold his
place in the quickly expanding oeuvre
of good indie music in this country.