TRACK REVIEW: Mïrändä - GLOW — Music Musings & Such

TRACK REVIEW:

Mïrändä

GLOW

9.5/10

GLOW is available via:

https://open.spotify.com/album/5VyLAu6a5fJMepIO3FJl7o

GENRE:

Electronic

ORIGIN:

New York, U.S.A.

RELEASE DATE:

2nd March, 2018

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THIS review provides me the chance…

to look at a variety of different things. I want to explore female talent and why, this week, it is especially important we throw a light on them. I will look at N.Y.C. and why the area continues to produce fantastic music; how geography and diverse landscape inspires music; transcending limitations and going beyond simple boundaries; gaining kudos and getting the backing of other artists; artists who stand out on their own and do not follow the pack; creating sound textures and collages – ending with a bit about music’s future and why we need to make some changes. This week has seen International Women’s Day and, with it, a host of blogs, features and interviews springing up – all celebrating women in music and what an impact they have made. I think about Mïrändä and the fight she has on her hands. That is not to say her music lacks killer conviction: she is a stunning act but, in an industry that is still imbalanced; there are so many obstacles in the way. Female artists, and women in the world, have to fight to get the same recognition as the men. It is worrying seeing so many fantastic musicians overlooked because of their gender. Mïrändä is fighting and producing some great music but, as we move through 2018; I wonder whether we need to take decisive action and intervene. To me; female artists are providing some of the best most attractive music around. I am pleased there is that range and originality available to the consumer. It is good to see artists away from the mainstream go beyond what we expect and create wonder. The N.Y.C.-based artist has made some big steps and is one of the most innovative and stirring acts I have heard. I do find it stupid many overlook female talent because of their gender. If there was an issue of quality – they were lacking any clout and ability – then there would (I guess) be an argument for this kind of slight. As it is, we are seeing a disparity and gulf based on nothing at all.

The only way there is going to be evasive and fast action is elevating the finest female artists around. The trouble is this: there are so many musicians to choose from; it is dizzying and challenging. Mïrändä is one of those people who will not let things rest and will continue to forge her way through music. She is getting a lot of respect and making waves in her native area. The imbalance in terms of gender is one of the biggest curses we have in modern music. If we continue to let this practice continue then we risk marginalising some of the finest artists around. I will move onto other areas soon but, before then, another reason why we need to embrace female artists and everything they do. I have mentioned innovation – and will continue to do so later – but fee there is an extra layer of magic inherent in the music of female musicians. Maybe it is their natural passion and curiosity but, when I hear female-made music; I get something lacking from the men – a spark and touch that goes beyond the ordinary. One can argue this is bias and personal preference but the story is the same with many people. I hear of others who have the same feelings when it comes to female acts. In the case of Mïrändä; she combines an immense beauty and physicality with an intelligence and soulfulness. There is something endlessly fantastic about her sounds and what she does to the listener. Once you hear a snippet of her music; there is pull and effect. You get taken in and immersed in a safe and comfortable place. It is impossible to detach yourself from Mïrändä’s great music and sound. That makes the argument about gender in music completely stupid. There are incredible artists out there, like Mïrändä, who provide music that goes beyond anything you can imagine. The fact she, and others like her, are given fewer opportunities than men makes me wonder what has happened to music.

I have stepped away from New York a while so, with the arrival of a new artist; it is time to get back there and investigate the area. The state is so vast that it is impossible to get a good grip on things and a proper understanding. The five boroughs have a very different flair and flavour: depending on where you go; there is something that suits your needs. I have never been over there myself – I plan on doing it – but have been invested in New York since I was young. There is the rush and energy of the place; the different people and cultures. I am excited seeing the state burgeon and influence. That has always been the way but, now more than ever, I feel New York will play a huge role. London is fantastic and continuingly broad; there are other wonderful cities that get into the head – none that have the same impact as New York. I am not sure what part Mïrändä is from but she vibes from the sounds and sensations of the streets. What gets me about her music is the way it encapsulates all the colours around her but has an accessible quality. It is important musicians make sounds that are different but manage to strike a relatable chord with the listener. I am stunned by the eclectic and wide-ranging nature of the New York music scene. Every neighbourhood and corner projects its own flair and inspiration. It is a bustling and kinetic part of the world that has majesty like no other. I can imagine it is a perfect place for Mïrändä to create and find material. Many will argue there are a lot of people around and it can be hard finding space here: there are plenty of parts to retreat in; quieter and more relaxed areas of New York. Nobody can deny the allure and strength of New York – and why its musicians are among the most promising in the world.

Before I come to look at Mïrändä’s rise and style of music; I will stay in New York and why it is somewhere more people should think about. Many musicians I know are heading over to New York and excited to get gigs. It has that intrigue that nowhere else in the world does. Whether you are compelled by the multicultural angles and the mixture of races; the fantastic sites and landmarks available; the bustling streets and the way you can get swept away. It is the music and arts of New York that stands out. You have decades (and centuries) of music that stands the test of time; inventiveness of the modern breed who continue to uphold the proud name and add their name to the history books. It is fantastic watching the modern clan borrow from the past and inject something unique and personal. Mïrändä is a curious writer and, as she progresses in her career; I wonder whether she will remain in New York – relocate somewhere else and start a new life. There is no real reason to depart from New York. The area is vast and opportunity-laden; there are plenty of chances for musicians to get their stuff heard and promoted; all manner of people there to keep the imagination nurtured. To me, it is symbolic of a free and balanced community that does not push people away and continues to support those who live there. Maybe I am being naïve but, for a musician, there is a sense of belonging and connection. You can find like-minded individuals who will share your vision and support your drive. New York has some of the best venues in the world and, as you shift between boroughs; you get a new sensation and take-away. So many artists from the U.K. are either moving to New York or playing there. There is the issue of cost – not that much different to places like London – but there are more chances available. It is a more competitive place to be but, in terms of rewards; it is well worth the risk. I would suggest Mïrändä remain there because, the bigger her career gets; the more relevant and important New York becomes.

I have spoken a lot about areas separate from the music itself. Mïrändä is a modern musician who has the same sort of aspects and ideas as many out there – she transcends the simple and strays away from the commercial. One of the most noticeable aspects of the modern machine is the ‘single campaign’. Artists have distinct visuals for each campaign which means there are some limits to journalists. It is fine to be restricted to a few snaps but, in terms of scope and mobility; I wonder whether more flexibility should be granted. I guess, now, music is about marketable structure and rigid planning. In order to get a single out there and trending; the musician needs to address all angles of promotion and creating a very precise and measured attack. Although there are fewer images available than many artists; one gets an impression of what Mïrändä is about and her style. The music is an important guide – cannot get too hung up about photos – but, with the images you can see here; one gets an impression of a unique soul and alluring talent. That might be because of the area she is based in and how the complexities of New York feed into her blood. I see some slyness and vulnerability in Mïrändä; there is a softness and shyness that mixes with boldness, rush and panache. That is a fantastic and heady brew that means the music has a lot of depth and sustain. Maybe the streets of New York provide the sort of direction many do not have access to. London is a vast landscape but, compared to New York; it is a small fish against a mighty shark. We do not have the same vastness and variety at our feet. Mïrändä is living in a part of the world that has geography like no other. It is impossible to live somewhere like New York and not take something away from the place.

Maybe there is that physical effect and resonance. I feel Mïrändä is someone who takes from her past and present, personally, as she does anything else. You listen to her music and get the impression of a very special and rare soul. Her personality comes to the fore and one feels a real understanding and connection. I know a lot of artists who give their all to the music and pour their personalities out. There are few who have the same openness and revelation as Mïrändä. She provides music that digs deep into the soul and makes the heart skip a beat. Few humans are as striking and stirring as she is. That means the music goes a lot further and remains in the mind for longer. One can say that is a symptom of a New York musician but that, to me, is the result of someone who has grown up a certain way. I can only imagine the kind of music Mïrändä holds dear and was raised on. I can hear a lot of classic Pop and Soul artists in her own sound – the way her voice sounds and the threads she weaves together. One gets impressions of modern New York artists and the most innovative around. I hear so many different ideas and expressions working in her own music. Mïrändä is an innovative mind and someone who holds music dear. She loves to project her personality onto the page but, on GLOW; there is something extra and unexpected. It is hard to put into words but one hears GLOW and so many different ideas working alongside one another. You get blasts from the past and some classic sounds; the urgent pace of the modern streets and what is happening around her – some elements unique to Mïrändä and what she is about. I am always drawn to artists who depart from the predictable and have something special about them.

I shall move onto the song itself in time but, before then; I wanted to investigate artists who have achieved a lot and why they get the respect they do. Dancing Astronaut, The Deli Magazine; Pancakes and Whiskey and DIY Magazine have already supported her music. YouTube stars, including Julien Solomita and Jason Nash, have used her songs in numerous Vlogs – it has been a successful and important time for Mïrändä. Many might say this is nothing special: so many artists get under the radar of big publications and get a level of fame. There are few who get under the skin of such big names so early. It takes a while for most artists to accrue the sort of attention Mïrändä has got in her career. You need to have something engaging and original in your locker to get into the head of any magazine/critic. It is not good enough turning up with something samey and expecting people to be all over you. There are so many artists who still have that approach. It means you get a faction who is unwilling to engage beyond the plodding and commercial. Mïrändä is a musician who knows you need to mix the understandable and familiar with something personal. I hear shades of commercial music in her own sounds – it is not too pressing and precise. It means one can easily bond with her sounds but it is not too chart-bound and depressing. You get fizz and wild imagination; there is a seductive quality and beauty that brews and percolates in every note. It is a captivating concoction that easily translates into music - but it has a special edge. I am always looking out for artists who can perfect this chemistry and sustain it. I will end the review by looking at Mïrändä’s future but, right now, she is on fire and in peak form. There is nobody out in the music world that does the same thing as she does. People are responding to her music and getting behind every offering.

Before I look at GLOW; I want to look at Mïrändä’s soundscapes and how she fuses elements together. There are Electronic strands but Pop ideas and harder slices. I am still finding musicians who repeat what is out there and do not go far beyond the expected. It can be hard departing from the normal and straying from the commercial. Artists that do go beyond the familiar are to be commended. There is something risky about it but, when you listen to the music, it has that additional grace and power. Mïrändä defies genre and is hard to classify. There is Dream-Pop there but, when you look closer; is it easy to label her?! I do not think so. The style she has tailored is her own – going further than most other new artists around. All the elements and ideas she has assimilated into her music hit the senses and compels you to follow her. I have heard few artists who are as passionate and committed to music as Mïrändä. She is a dedicated and hard-working talent who puts her everything into, well…everything. It is humbling hearing a musician who expends that much energy, commitment and love into each song. GLOW is another big step from the stunning and multi-talented songwriter. I wonder where Mïrändä will go from here – in terms of her musicianship and style. She has crafted something that has flexibility and promise. She can take it in other directions and find more room. I wonder whether Mïrändä will assimilate other strands into her music as she moves through the year. Everything about Mïrändä hits the heart and urges you to remain with her. GLOW has been getting a lot of love and affection from people out there. Websites and reviewers are lending their praise: the public is behind it and it seems few are immune to the wonders of the song.

GLOW gets straight down to business and bubbles off the speakers. The electronics and beats crackle and there is a youthful, fulsome dynamic to the song. Although the earliest words are hard to decipher – too breathy and mixed-down against the bold composition – it is the sensation and sigh you get from Mïrändä that connects. There is that allure and sensuality brimming and touching the listener. The beginning of the song is such a physical and sexual thing. You are hooked into the song and compelled to surrender to its lustre. The heroine talks about a realisation and not having a heartbeat – until the hero came along and changed things. One instantly understands where Mïrändä is coming from and where her mind is heading. There is that relatability but, in the way she sings, something unique and personal. Mïrändä is not keen to mimic other sings and create tropes. GLOW sees her explore this new-found love and having her life reinvented. The energy and colours that burst from the speakers get into the heart; the vocal is raw and impassioned. One gets views of the dancefloor and clubs – as the composition gets sterner and a little more sexual – and the heroine’s eyes wide and alive. Blood is rushing to the head and one can get a real sense of what is happening. People are milling around and there is fascinating on the floor. People are hooking up and the attraction of the music swims in the blood. Mïrändä is looking across and finding someone who instantly connects with her. It is a very evocative sentiment that is never crude and uncomplicated: the heroine keeps things back and builds momentum and mood. She cannot find “this glow” and fascination. The composition rises and falls; it echoes and bounces with pride. One can hear the composition bounce and mirror the lyrics. You start to move and connect with the music; caught in the tide and starting to project images. Although Mïrändä has her own style and sound; one can detect elements of modern Pop idols and elements of her voice. One can hear some familiar vocals but Mïrändä manages to fuse so much of herself that it does not dampen the song and make you think of anyone else too readily. The heroine is caught in the moment and curious where it will head. The beats and electronics continue to change course and it is such a physical and unexpected song. The pace and energy never relent and the listener is powerless to refute the pull and prowess of GLOW. I wonder whether the heroine is looking at her past and making the same mistakes – embracing a new relationship and something that could be more positive.

She is going around and around and cannot pull away from the magic. This attraction is strong and it is causing Mïrändä to wonder and imagine. I was thinking about men who have treated her badly and let her down. Maybe this boy is the same and it means the same errors will come in. I was caught between someone who was excited by a fresh challenge and affection but fighting against the temptation to repeat past bonds. That light and glow is hard to fight and is endlessly attractive. The more the song goes on; I was looking at the positive and how this feeling should not be questioned. I have been looking at GLOW from different angles and wondering whether it is about that single night or the start of a longer relationship. To me; there is this new experience that Mïrändä wants to retain and foster. The music pops and one feels involved and connected with the visions. You transpose yourself into the song and follow this flirtation. The cheeks of the heroine are crimson and you can feel the two coming together. There is electricity in the air and the sweat drips from the walls. That does not mean GLOW is overtly sexual and salacious. She talks about attraction and that desire: the song goes deeper and is more emotional than one might expect. By the latter stages; the song gets more playful and the heroine’s voice skips and teases. The composition continues to exert images and possibilities – the heroine dreams of tripping and not feeling the fall. There are so many different sounds and layers in the song – the head always spins and the imagination is working over-time. I wonder whether that ‘trip’ is her falling for the man: perhaps the sensation has, literally, knocked her off the feet and taken its toll. Whatever your impressions of GLOW; it signals a vital talent in the industry making moves few others can dream of. I am curious where Mïrändä will go and what her next move will be. It is hard to ignore the passion and intensity that comes from GLOW. It gets right into the head but has so many layers working away – you will come back and discover something fresh every single time. Kudos to a hungry and stunning artist who is subverting expectations and providing some of the most engaging and thrilling music around. I am in no doubt Mïrändä will ascend to the giddy heights of the mainstream in years to come – adding her own style and able to inspire many other artists when she is there. Make sure you investigate her music and get your ears around GLOW. The New York-based heroine is on the rise right now. It is wonderful seeing a singular artist hit the soul and produce such a fantastic song.

Mïrändä attended NYU Tisch School of the Arts for both Acting and Songwriting and was a 2013/2014 YoungArts winner. She has performed her original material at Lincoln Center, The Kennedy Center and at TD Garden alongside Josh Groban. She has achieved a lot and saw her debut E.P., Empire, featuring on big blogs. Her following is strong but I wonder whether she can go further. Her Twitter numbers are growing but I listen to GLOW and realise there is a whole world of followers out there. I wonder whether there will be more material coming and where Mïrändä heads. A lot of people in the U.K. will want to see her and see her perform live. I hope London is part of her plans later in the year. Right now; Mïrändä is working on the promotion for GLOW and ensuring it gets far and wide. Once the dust has settled and she is thinking of new moves; it will be interesting seeing what that entails and what direction she takes. I think Mïrändä has hit on a very appealing sound and concocted her own world. There are few who have the same reach and nuance as she does. I am excited to think what comes and, the more songs she puts out; the more people will latch onto her. There is a following for her music in New York but I would like to see more people here get behind her. It is still early for Mïrändä and her music: the more time she puts in; the greater the rewards will be. So far, she has done a lot and seen her songs get out to the people. I can only imagine what it is like for a New York-based artist. You only need listen to GLOW and realise what it all means to Mïrändä. She is dedicated and putting her all into music. There is no time to relax and lessen the pace. For that – and because she is a rare and original artist – we should all put our weight behind…