Ilustrada – Keychain (2021)
With his first single since his self-titled album in 2016, Ilustrada pulls us into a track that is fully open to interpretation. Using an unusual soundscape, he allows the narrative of ‘Keychain’ to form the exact opposite situation from ‘Every Breath You Take’ by The Police. Touching on feelings of self-loathing, burnout and indignation, the single wraps these turbulent emotions in a unique interplay of sounds.
Playing out much like a movie, the single winds through the landscape of the music in different directions for each listener. From the brain of Andrew Landry, the driving force behind this musical project, the single is wonderfully unique in so many ways. It also brings a more rock twist to his music as it merges with trip-hop and pop.
‘Keychain’ grabs your attention with the really interesting tones of the opening line. There is a deep and smooth hum that meets the jangle of the melody that really gets you swaying to the rhythm. There is something about this melody that is ridiculously addictive as it sinks its talons into your brain. As you sway and bop to the music, it rolls through you and leads you further down the winding paths of the track. The warbling and slightly distorted tones that enter later adds further texture to the song and only makes it even more engaging if that was possible. The different elements all combine perfectly really showcasing the prowess of Landry and his musical abilities.
As you ride the melody down the paths of the track, his vocals bring a quirky feeling to a smooth slide of Britpop. The smoothness of his vocals is a perfect accompaniment to the flow of the music. These layers intertwine and fill every inch of your soul with his sound. The lyrics are wonderfully focused yet ambiguous enough to be open to interpretation. The negative emotions of the track are lightly tapped into adding to the overall power of the single while plucking poignantly at your heart. There is a delicate melancholy to the track that just tops off everything for pure perfection.
Ilustrada slides into your soul with a masterful interplay of tones and smooth emotive lyrics for the somewhat ambiguous ‘Keychain’. The single is a perfect blending of different melodic elements balanced on the edge of open interpretation. It is a truly wonderful piece of music that gets you excited for what else he has in store for us.
