APHIR RELEASES NEW ALBUM ‘POMEGRANATE TREE'.’
To all of the Grimes and fka twigs lovers, Pomegranate Tree is a pop connoisseurs dream. ‘Pomegranate Tree’ systematically plays by the rules, electronically ticking all the boxes and sonically speaking, moving in a way that flows nicely from beginning to end.
Growing up in a Christian church for the majority of her life, Aphir was brought up on beliefs that didn’t reside by her own. As she navigates the world of the music Industry, the Melbourne based artist has found herself in a familiar, yet perhaps unwelcome situation.
“It sounds weird to say it but later on I felt like I had a pretty similar journey with the music industry - seeing the possibility of connecting with people in that world but paradoxically feeling like I had to hide parts of myself to make friends,” Aphir.
The long for personal connection, is a constant revolving door people tend to find themselves in. Leading up to the album, the single release ‘Red Giant’ was a time in Aphir’s life, where she felt used as an escape for someone else’s troubles.
“It’s about feeling kinda objectified, being seen as some kind of fix instead of a real person.”
Aphir’s story, combined with her love for 17th century choral arrangements and modern hyperpop music creates the perfect influence. With a heavily exaggerated genre like modern hyperpop at times being overbearing for those who are not familiar with the genre ‘Pomegranate Tree’ is well prepared. The constant flow of idea changes within a song’s progression or use of the long extensive instrumentation help create nifty little pieces of writing that are shown throughout the album.
‘Even In Paradise’ as an opener is a strong choice, hooking you with it’s rough and jagged rhythm. A committed vocal performance from Aphir sit’s nicely within the mix which helps settle the intensity of the track. The previously mentioned track ‘Red Giant’ is also similar in its nature even it if it feels slightly more forward in movement rhythmically.
‘Advice’ is a track that feel’s like it was ripped straight out from the medieval times, truly embracing the 17th century in full force. Listening to the song feels like there is this constant lag that creates a long and sustained transient experience which constantly feels like your being pulled by various synth’s and arpeggiators. A must say mention is how good the percussion on this track is also.
The aesthetic edge presented within the previous track’s prior, see’s ‘Rhoda’ as a notable change of pace on the Album. With strong writing chops, ‘Rhoda’ changes tonally from the first three songs whilst managing to still maintain a raw aesthetic edge.
The following track ‘Good Enough’ is a slow build that features big dramatic distorted synths that hit the climax of the song, before just as dramatically returning to the crackling emptiness at the start of the song. Likewise ‘Books of Number’ similarly build’s to something bigger except it’s structure allows it to grow with sharper instrumentation before slowly fading. ‘Waking’ continues the leisurely trend of this part of the record. The soft humming throughout the track is quite aesthetically pleasing even in the sections of the song that become dramatic and exaggerated.
By the end of the track ‘Equinox’ feels like one of the more busier tracks on this thing due to all of the layering thats going on. The title track ‘Pomegranate Tree’ is just absolutely bonkers. The constant shifts in momentum keep pace and engagement, particularly liking the constant backing vocals that are almost like someone howling into the night.
The final track ‘Empyrean’ feels like an on brand ending to fans of the Hyperpop genre. Aphir’s, elegant vocals in a speech like singing performance paints a picture of a church with prayer going on in the inside, before suddenly turning into something much greater as a barrage of noises quickly take over before swiftly going back to the softness of a choir. A solid ending to a great Album.
The overall production on ‘Pomegranate Tree’ is quite enticing as Aphir delivers powerful vocal performances from track to track.
A nod to the 17th century and modern hyperpop fans, Aphir masterfully brings her brand new feature ‘Pomegranate Tree’ to life.
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