The second solo album from Berlin non-traditional singer/songwriter
Masha Qrella is a warm, gorgeous concoction of loopy electronics, heavy
house beats and dreamy, evocative vocals. It's the
sort of moody record that makes staying in that much
better. About every six seconds, a new hypnotic sound
is introduced into the gentle mix — meaning you fall
into her songs, not away from them. The title track levitates
effortlessly like a flock of bubbles before bursting
into raw emotion and bass. "C. Bones" features
jangly acoustics, tick-tocking melodies and
disappointed lyrics: "No matter what you say/ It
makes no sense today/ I want the truth anyway," sings
Qrella in a slurred, whispered style. Riding on
precise galloping beats, "Destination Vertical" is the
album's club hit (if it had one) for its steamy energy
and slow builds that give way to a, er, vertical
climax. Both solo efforts by Qrella, who played bass
in Berlin's esteemed post-rock outfit Contriva, have
been sorely overlooked. Fall into her beautiful
soundscapes, of this planet and beyond. |