2016 thus far has been a very good but very uncomfortable year. Why is this relevant to a record by one of the most uniquely ethereal duos out there? Well, let me tell you.

My listening habits are always all over the place but those songs that find a special place in my heart usually follow a trend or emotion. I’m in the midst of a season of important personal growth and high risk taking in my career. I have a theory that the God I believe in senses my need for calm, yielding my personal preferences toward music that is inherently calming – that I can get lost in. Within a relevantly short period of time, we have come across new records from Polyenso, Radiohead, and now Young Magic.

“Holographic” from Young Magic’s record Breathing Statues is one of the most unique songs that I have ever heard – one that I can truly get lost in. Since then I’ve been yearning for a new instance of that feeling. However if there’s one thing that music has taught me, it’s that the feeling produced by a song can never be exactly duplicated across compositions. This doesn’t happen in Still Life and that’s perfectly okay.

Anyone that has read up on Young Magic knows that one half the duo carries an Indonesian heritage. The songs on this record are explorations of this heritage and homeland, perhaps moreso than any other offering by the duo. The compositions seem to all point to finding peace in chaos, sadness, and tension, reflecting that in a mood that often oscillates between anxiety and calm. This mood permeates the record as a whole. Listening to this in my car gives me a sensation of being enveloped in a way that listening to songs in the open seldom does.

Something that stands out to me is how singer Melati uses her voice as an instrument to convey feelings and effects beyond lyrics alone – kind of in the style of Thom Yorke. I find her words to be indiscernible at times, but I’m fine with this. We hear this in the Glass Animals-esque “Lucien.” “IWY” includes a haunting and slightly unsettling melody that sticks with me as well.

I would be curious to see how this record translates live. Currently the band is on tour with psych rockers Yeasayer so many folks are finding out right now. On their tour with Bear in Heaven, the show was marked by a conservative stage presence from Melati and a charismatic, rhythmic performance from Isac. I would hope that their current show would reflect the record, with Melati stepping out into the limelight a bit more.

Still Life is a reflection of the band’s journey to catharsis, and consequently ought to bring this to the listener as well, albeit in a multifaceted way. It did for me.

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/260256704″ /]

Score: 4.1/5

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