Odonian Drifts – Room 235 (2022)
With the single ‘Xsufflation’, Odonian Drifts traced a path of fragile hope through the suppression of thick shadows. He is now turning his attention to a very different topic with ‘Room 235’. Dedicated to the memory of writer, para-academic and sound artist Mark Fisher, the single touches on capitalism, overcoming obstacles and our collective ability to produce, care and enjoy.
After attending the inaugural memorial lecture at Goldsmithes, he started writing this single based on an unfinished introduction to the book ‘Acid Communism’. The third single from his upcoming album, he shows a deeper side of his music as he traverses deep thoughts set to a dreamy and chilling sound. The art-pop movement of his music creates the perfect soundscape to dive into the thoughts and emotions of the track.
‘Room 235’ builds a dreamy soundscape through the soft movement of the opening. While the higher levels of the synths are pastel clouds, there is a thrum in the depths that brings the sense of something much deeper. It is a fantastic contrast of floating lightness and untold depths that could draw you down into the murky underground. As the single progresses, the dark pop undertones push against your back, sending chilled shivers down your arms and the sense of something just behind you. The higher levels soothe some of the jiggered edges the lower tones create, but there is something about the interplay that leaves a heaviness to the sound. You can feel that there is a deep message woven into the single, with the emotions this invokes woven into the movement of the music. At times, the music feels rather anticipatory like you want to enter Room 235, but there is something holding you back.
The emotions that settle in your stomach through the melody are given direction by the vocals. His voice captures the dreaminess of the higher levels through the slightly blurred edges of his performance. The darkness of the lower levels comes through in the inflection of his performance. His vocals seem to weave through the melody like a black ribbon, leading you down a path of the unknown. Through all of this, the lyrics sparkle with emotion and deeper thoughts. He uses beautiful imagery to bring the feelings of the track to life, while teasing the depression and dystopia of late capitalism. In the later moments of the single, he brings the uncertainty of the music to life as he hovers just outside the door that could hold the answers to the questions he has.
Light yet dark, dreamy yet haunting, ‘Room 235’ by Odonian Drifts fills you with the creeping sense of something behind you while urging you forward into the light. This track really showcases the creativity and musicality of the artist while leaving you with a lot on your mind. With a powerful use of imagery, he has you questioning the world while looking for something that can provide the answers.
Find out more about Odonian Drifts on his website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup. #sustainablecurator
