Davia Schendel – Poison/Antidote (2023)
Musician, writer, artist and filmmaker, US-based Davia Schendel is steeped in performing arts. Inspired by humanity in totality, her work revolves around existentialism and surrealism punched with nostalgia. This is my introduction to Davia Schendel, but she has already been turning heads and captivating hearts for years. With coverage from publications like Iggy Magazine, Sistra, Tinnitist, and She Shreds Magazine, as well as radio stations like Soho Radio, Schendel is garnering an international fanbase with her intriguing melodies.
Following her well-received single ‘Dream of 1988’, Schendel’s track ‘Poison/Antidote’ is the definition of eclecticism. Once again tapping into the pop sounds of the 80s with a dash of psychedelia streaming through, I could easily place ‘Poison/Antidote’ alongside Bowie’s ‘Space Oddity’. The thing is Schendel peeps above the haze of obscurity with slivers of jazz and dashes of disco woven into the melody.
Completely distorted, ‘Poison/Antidote’ twists and turns without any real rhythm or harmony. Think of it this way, listening to the track is like travelling through a hurricane – chaotic shaking with no semblance of sanity or normality. You might look forward to the eye of the storm with no such luck, but there is an anchor within the mad arrangement. Oakland-based jazz artist Phillip Greenlief tosses in a scintillating saxophone grabbing you by the ankles and soothing your soul…. all while Schendel’s vocals teeter around the storm keeping you locked in. Interestingly, while the melody is all-over-the-place, there is also rich warmth and exciting blasts rocking through the kaleidoscopic wind.
So, the melody itself is a little chaotic but what is ‘Poison/Antidote’ all about? Using poetic lyricism and expert storytelling skills, we follow a femme fatale who meets her match. A decadent whirl of music carries us through the clash of Poison (the femme fatale) and heartbreaker Antidote. Rises and falls, pushes and pulls, the music frames intricate conversations, exchanges and lush fantasy in a sonic bubble.
For more from Davia Schendel, check out her official website, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
