Borka Balogh – Burden (2020)
Released on World Mental Health Day, ‘Burden’ is a dark track by Borka Balogh that aims to raise awareness of mental health issues. The single also looks to fight the stigmas around people who struggle in society because they are classed as too different. Using a haunting and dramatic soundscape, the song illustrates the internal struggle people face when balancing their need to belong with accepting who they are.
Drawing on her own struggles, Balogh opens up in an honest and up-front way. Shrugging off all metaphors, she shines a light on her own struggles and those of others in the context of a serious issue in society. The official music video for the single continues this illustration through stunning visuals that capture the essence of the track.
‘Burden’ draws you into the soundscape with light twinkling tones that give way to a driving piano line. There is a dramatic feeling to the melody from the first moment and this sense of darkness. The melody leaves you feeling that there is something more to it that you just need to push through to find. The depth of the melody is interesting as it creates an almost quiet feeling to the track like you are whispering in a dark room.
Balogh’s vocals continue this feeling but add a clouded feeling to the song. While her voice is clear and draws you into the lyrics, the flow feels like a fog that you need to push through. This is an amazing sonic device when you consider it in relation to the lyrics of the track. The fog of the vocals represents the mental health issues that need to be pushed through while the melody is the dark place you rest in while doing this. It is worth taking the time to really listen to the lyrics as they delve into the feelings of this struggle.
The music video for the single has a realistic yet abstract feeling to it. Through the imagery, you are given a visual insight into how Balogh feels about the struggle with mental health issues. The slow movements at the start of the video turn into something darker and sharper as the video progresses. The use of negative lights adds to the disconnected feeling that many people have. Some of the movements and transitions can be a bit harsh, particularly for those who are photosensitive.
Borka Balogh uses her dark and quiet soundscape to focus attention on mental health issues with her single ‘Burden’. Using personal experience, she combines various melodic devices to provide a sonic representation of the struggle and fight people go through every day. The official music video offers the visual side of this.
Find out more about Borka Balogh on her website, Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.
