Track of the Day: Sebastea – Gemini
Inspired by the world at large, Turkey-based singer-songwriter Sebastea creates an otherworldly soundscape with his abstract form of pop. Unlike anything I have heard before, Sebastea fuses elements of alt-pop and gypsy folk with an undertone of classical percussion. Otherworldly and intriguing, the debut single ‘Gemini’ is a representation of both existence and his obscure personality…let’s delve into it, shall we?
Penned as an abstract conceptual single, ‘Gemini’ touches on a tale of love, war, death and revolt through the eyes of Pollux and Castor – twin brothers in Roman and Greek mythology. The tale of these twins follows a rather melancholic road from war to death and revolt through love. Let me explain: Castor and Pollux were twins but not from the same father making Castor mortal and Pollux a demigod. They fought in a battle where Castor was killed; heartbroken, Pollux prayed to Zeus to take half of his immortality and revive his brother. The request was granted out of love and the two were turned into the constellation Gemini…forever together and intertwined. This is captured in Sebastea’s ‘Gemini’.
It may be an unconscious act, I am not sure, but Sebastea sonically represents the love of these brothers in the track. The lulling tones are exquisitely layered atop an ethereal melody plunging you into a haunted abyss of sound. The combination of classical percussion in a hazy ambience adds an element of the surreal; however, it is the execution of the lyricism that makes the song truly poignant. The hushed whispering grabs your attention as you follow the tale…soothing at the beginning but a bold crescendo at the end mixed with powerful melancholia.
While I cannot compare Sebastea to another artist, you may find his music charming if you like that wistful otherworldliness in your songs. Traversing from elegant innocence to heartbreaking tragedy, ‘Gemini’ is unlike anything else you will hear this year. I cannot wait for more from this unique artist.
