Monelise – The Night in Turin

Not her latest release, but one of the most intriguing ones in her repertoire in my opinion. This track is mysterious, it tests boundaries and doesn’t shy away from breaking rules with a unique blend of melodies, percussive elements, and a playful mix of vocals and backing.

When I heard this tune for the first time, I was drawn into a different layer of perception right away. The track creates an atmosphere that isn’t easy to describe. There is something present I’d like to call an “affectionate vibe”. A slow groove with sort of a grainy rhythmic section builds a glassy and dark atmosphere in which the vocals dance with a magical twist. “The Night in Turin” has a hypnotic undertone and feels as if you were a snake being enchanted by one of those snake charmers. Time seemingly slows down as you get drawn into the mysterious scenery, where sound at times is bent like in a dream, blended with playful melodies and an intense expressive motive.

This tune won’t bow down to any rule or emotion (or even language for that matter), and that’s what makes it so intriguing. You just cannot pinpoint the true intention, and this gives the track an opaque aura. One that at times needs and craves your attention, and only a few seconds later it drops you with a smile. And through every second of the tune, you just cannot take your attention away from it because of its versatility.

During these times while any shallow new album is brutally advertised as the ultimate big thing when it truly just repeats what pleases the masses, it’s refreshing to hear music that makes its own set of rules. I love that the present groove doesn’t even invite you to listen and follow, it knows that you’ll do so eventually anyway. This audial confidence is what we need more of these days.