Denni Ian – Two Figures (2022)
With his single ‘Killer Whales’, Denni Ian had us diving into the murky waters of uncertainty with poetic lyrics and meditative sounds. He is now bringing a balance of emotions with his single ‘Two Figures’. Carrying beauty and dread in equal measure, the soundscape is a mix of lo-fi indie folk and post-punk that propels you down the insistent melody.
While bringing a balance of beauty and dread to our ears, the single captures feelings of affection and melancholy. Written at a low point in his life, this track offers an open-ended lyricism that allows you to determine what happens next. Backed by an ensemble of newcomers and frequent collaborators, Ian has also created a wonderful music video to accompany the release.
The drums that open ‘Two Figures’ tap against the back of your brain while urging you to venture further into the single. While leading, this opening has a splash of lo-fi that settles on your shoulders and lets you really appreciate the single. The melody has an interesting feeling because it seems to be relatively stripped-back, but there are multiple lines that converge to form a steady flow. As the single progresses, there is a building feeling to the music like you are walking uphill and nearing the summit. It is a rather uplifting feeling that leaves a trail of light energy in your chest. Through the music, Ian has created the beauty of the single that is slightly fragile, but builds with a sense of wonder, romance and affection.
While the melody leads you on a journey of delicate beauty, the vocals bring the other side of the balance of the single. Ian’s vocals have an almost sombre feeling to them as he unleashes their rather dark poetry. Through his performance, he brings feelings of dread and melancholy to the soundscape, in perfect balance with the melody. The lyrics carry the same poetry that all his music offers as he explores emotions and situations that bring both feelings of love and melancholy. The post-punk feeling of the performance is a wonderful complement to the lo-fi and lighter vibes of the melody. There is something extremely relatable woven into this performance, which gains a new texture with the humming female vocals.
Through the melody and vocals of ‘Two Figures’, Denni Ian perfectly balances beauty and dread while filling our ears with his poetic lyrics. The melody offers the lighter side of the balance, while his vocals bring the darkness. The way these two lines interact is amazing as it fills you with a sense of something good that also carries the potential of pain.
Find out more about Denni Ian on his website, Instagram and Spotify.
