ＴＨＥ• ＷＥＬＬＳ • ＰＥＲＳＰＥＣＴＩＶＥ
• 𝗡𝗘𝗪 𝗥𝗘𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗘 𝗥𝗘𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗪𝗦 •
𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝒮𝓉𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝑜𝒻 𝒞𝓊𝓅𝒾𝒹’𝓈 𝒜𝓇𝓇𝑜𝓌
𝙰 𝚛𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚅𝚒𝚗𝚌𝚊 𝙳𝚒𝚏𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚖𝚒𝚜 𝚜𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚕𝚎 “𝙴𝚢𝚎 𝚆𝚒𝚝𝚗𝚎𝚜𝚜”: 𝙱𝚢 𝙴.𝙽. 𝚆𝚎𝚕𝚕𝚜, 𝙳𝚎𝚌𝚎𝚖𝚋𝚎𝚛 𝟹, 𝟸𝟶𝟸𝟹.
I have developed something of a working partnership with FYC Records founder and Dødsferd frontman Nikolaos Spanakis (aka Wrath or Father Wrath) over the past few years. Not that it was intended to be this way, it is just how things have unfolded. This is partly due to the fact that nothing he has touched has ever fallen short of brilliant in my eyes, and partly because I believe he trusts in my uncompromising judgment and very personal take when I review any musical release. If I do not like something, I simply do not review it. If I like something, I poor my every being into writing about it. It’s just that simple.
As far as his newest signing to FYC, he has once again stepped outside his comfort zone, as he has proven he is very capable of doing. This is an aspect that I admire and respect. That he is not afraid to dive into territories outside of the the realm of Metal is a testament to his commitment to true art and talent.
For those of you who are strictly “Metal”, this is not for you! But, if you have an open mind and an understanding that “heaviness ” can be more than fast riffs and blast beats, that it can be something lyrically thought provoking or emotionally complex, then you are in the right place.
Now, on with the review…
What or who is Vinca Difformis? As far as what Vinca Difformis is… it is a small flowering evergreen, native to Western Europe. It contains whitish-blue flowers that bloom from late winter to early spring.
As for “who” Vinca Difformis is… she is the latest artist to be signed by FYC Records & Distro. And like her namesake, her debut single for FYC, “Eye Witness” projects a light against the darkness! The song blends the Dark Ambience and Electronica of Trip-Hop artist’s Portishead with the Baroque Pop sensibilities of artists like Fleurie & Lana Del Rey.
The music is soothing, with a tempo similar to that of the former bands track “Only You” (from their ‘97 self-titled album). It is trance-like, as it can move you into subconsciously swaying with its beat. Her vocals are simple, yet hauntingly beautiful, with a falsetto like those of a siren’s charm! It is most comparable to the latter artists named above.
With lyrics like “Year after year I see myself reflected in you, Hardly remember the face I'm looking for” and “Let's pretend we've never kissed before… Tell me you love me”, I get the sense that it’s a song about someone who knows that they are loved, but they still have doubts sometimes about how strong that love is. That she is still so deeply in love with her longtime partner that she loses herself in their eyes! That she quietly questions if she is still the one person in their heart and on their mind. And other times she can feel the love, and is thankful for the devotion of her significant other.
The lyrics are also simple, yet they are gripping. They are simple as in they are common words used every day in the English language. They are gripping as in we have all felt the sting of Cupid’s arrow in our hearts. We have felt those highs and lows! We have felt those insecurities eating away at our sanity. We have all been lost in someone else’s eyes to the point where we have failed to see our own reflection. We have all been hopelessly in love, and as humans, we can all relate to these mixed emotions. There is nothing more complex than matters of the heart. And to me, human emotion is as “Heavy” as it gets! — E.N. Wells
Recommended listening conditions: I highly recommend listening to this song at night, in low-light conditions, preferably by candlelight!
Details:
Music & Lyrics by Vinca Difformis.
Produced by Vinca Difformis.
Engineered and mixed by Nick Chalntoupis at SoundCave Studios Athens.
“Eye Witness” engineered by Dimitris Dimitriadis.
Vocals: Vinca Difformis.
Piano, vibradoneon, keyboards/synths: George katsanos.
Bass/Contrabass: Chris Tzortzis Drums: Dimitris Azorakos.
Conducted by George Katsanos.
Artwork by George Trichias. Special thanks to Mata Salogianni.
This single was released in Digital Format on November 25th, of 2023 via FYC Records, on the Official Bandcamp Page of the Label.
Look for the full-length release coming in 2024.
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