apanorama – First Breath (2022)
When your friends go through a rough time, you want to offer them the support they need, even if you are unsure about what you can do. This desire to help has been woven into the fabric of ‘First Breath’ by apanorama. Through the single, they express the wish to support a friend through a depressive episode and the hope that they will be able to breathe freely in the future.
This deep wish comes from the electronic duo Nora and Michael. They started making music together soon after they became a couple, with Nora writing their songs on the piano, before Michael adds the electronic touches. Combining Nora’s experimental vocals with the driving yet melodic synth harmonies of Michael, they create soundscapes that transport you to a different world.
The opening of ‘First Breath’ is an interesting combination of almost tropical beats and spoken sound snippet. As the sound snippet drops, the beats remain, bringing more of their heat to your senses. These notes have a gentle feeling to them as they drive you forward into the more house movement of the main melodic line. At times, there is a building feeling to the melody, but this drops for a slightly off-kilter movement. While the music has a relative simplicity to it, the layers of electronic notes keep you moving down the soundscape. You can’t help but move in some way to the melody. The moving vibe of the music increases as the single progresses, picking up the pace to get you moving faster to the sound.
While the melody drives you down the soundscape, it is the vocals that bring the emotive hit. There is a poetic flow to the lyrics as they consider the support you want to offer someone and the hope you have for them to get through the problems and struggles they face. Nora’s performance has a bright energy to it that works perfectly with the moving melody, while tugging at your emotions. The rise of her delivery showcases her range and adds something extra to the single. On the chorus, the experimental touch of her vocals comes through in the pulsed staccato delivery. As you listen to the single, you are filled with feelings of hope for the future.
If the single on its own is not enough to get you moving and feeling hope for the future, the accompanying music video might. The video uses a silhouette of a dancer who is moving to the electronic tones of the single. There is a scratched etching quality to the video at times, which softens the visual, while adding the darkness that you are trying to get out of. It is a captivating video that you can’t stop watching as the dance by Justine Sen makes you want to move with her. Produced by Max Mahler the video wonderfully brings the single to visual life.
Through the smooth vocals and driving electronic tones of ‘First Breath’, apanorama gets you moving while feeling a sense of hope for the future. The melody uses layered electronic tones to get you moving while constantly pushing you down the soundscape. Nora’s vocals offer the support needed to get through a tough time and lead you to the hope for a brighter future.
Find out more about apanorama on their website, Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.
