Today’s indie-pop music is often flooded by dreamy soundscapes awash in synths and reverb-laden vocals as the lyrics typically tackle identity and mental health. Manchester-based trio Virginia Wing elevates these musical tropes adding an eclectic array of voice effects and unusual synth sounds that separate them from their contemporaries.
Like its predecessors, private LIFE (via Fire Records) also tackles themes of mental health and identity, but with a new sense of refinement unheard previously. Lead singer Alice Merida Richards soars through each track with a direct vocal approach, unusual for the genre. The band experiments with unusual synth sounds and instrumental arrangements, highlighting flute and saxophone breaks which at times feels abrupt. Although the cluttered instrumentation can be a detriment to the project overall, the lyrical theme of retaining composure when under pressure is not only very relatable, but also appropriate for today’s times.
“I’m Holding Out For Something” opens the album with a tenacious anthemic drum pattern; complete with claps and a refrain that puts the listener in a stadium-like setting. The exuberant energy quickly shifts to chaos on the following track, “Moon Turn Tides” as it boldly injects hints of humor heard in lines such as “whilst you’re here, it’s important that you don’t touch anything it’s all very, very expensive.” Bursting into an upbeat romp, the song quickly disintegrates into a frenetic saxophone break with Richards taunting the listener through the microphone spouting cynical lines like “money in your pocket is a remedy for every crime / home is a hope and family is just a line.”
The album continues through a maze of offbeat effects and leftfield musical arrangements. Upon first listen it may be entertaining, but after the mist clears it makes the songs a chore to get through. With that said, Richards’ vocals do a great job keeping the listener engaged with musings that are intimately reflective. As deep as the lyrics get, the sparse flute sections and bouncy synths keep a joyous spirit that brings the listener a sense of comfort throughout the album.
The second half of the record straightens out as songs take on a bold guitar sound that when combined with Richards’ commanding vocal presence gives reflections of 80s post-punk acts (Siouxsie and the Banshees or Japan). There’s no denying the strongest song or perhaps the most dismal is “Half Mourning”. Her delivery is quite monotone, which gives the song an ominous disposition. In the song, Richards shares the current state of her life, singing “it’s hard to see glass when your life is in a jar. It’s easy to forget how you used to interact”. This is certainly an appropriate line in the era of virtual gatherings and extended lockdowns.
Stripping away percussion entirely and opting for lush strings and layered vocal harmonies, “I Know About These Things” is a peaceful conclusion to the album. Richards seems to have grown throughout the record, singing “I know better, I can read between the lines. Tell the clock it’s my time. I’ve drawn my secrets, like a circle / I can see all my flaws, I’ll know when I’m home.” Here, Richards once again takes a moment to reflect on her life up to this point. She finally seems to be at rest with whatever she’s been grappling with or at least enough to move forward mentally.
While private LIFE’s messy array of instrumentation is often unfocused, the lyrics are pertinent to the isolation many people have been feeling over the past year and will probably continue to feel in the months to follow. Through these themes, Virginia Wing has created an album of eccentric sounds to match the increasingly strange times we live in. It sets up space for listeners to take comfort in the bizarre while we all reflect on how our private lives have changed us.
Have you listened to private LIFE? Let us know what you think of the album in the comment section below! Want more of Virginia Wing? Be sure to connect with them on your favorite social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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