Description
#aya #vinyl #vinylrecords
In the vast landscape of modern music, few artists have combined experimental elements with club influences quite as seamlessly as aya. Best known under her LOFT moniker, aya has carved an enigmatic niche, unraveling the usual expectations of genre to construct a unique musical identity. With the release of her 2021 album “im hole,” she insightfully diverges from her past work, trading in the classic breaks ’n bass of the British music scene with an array of abstract and genre-blending sounds.
Aya’s sonic adventurism is reminiscent of trailblazing artists like Arca, Lee Gamble, Sega Bodega, and SOPHIE, yet she has pulled away from any semblances, crafting an idiosyncratic soundscape anchored in self-realization. “im hole” holds a mirror towards aya’s life, featuring a genre-splicing poetic journey through her personal experiences, disturbing norms, and reevaluating perceptions of gender and sexuality.
The heavy synth movements in tracks like ‘still i taste the air’ parallels the emotionally charged narrative of the lyrics. Here, aya probes into the depths of personal introspection, challenging single-sighted narratives of queer art, and steering the conversation towards the intersections of self-acceptance and sexualization. This heady blend of personal introspection and creative expression creates a soundcape that entrances the listener, drawing them into the depths of aya’s mind.
Just as central to the album’s narrative are the lyrics, interwoven with rhythm, noise, and non-linear ear-catching sonics. While the words recited may be familiar, their innovative arrangement and context serve as an exploration of language itself, underscoring the creative potential found in experimenting with the conventional.
The album’s title, “im hole,” itself is an elusive allusion to the album’s core theme of existential pondering and personal exploration. Its abstract meaning, much like its namesake, is a peephole into aya’s complex self-expressions that do not shy away from displaying her personality quirks.
The aya presented in “im hole” is undeniably more complex, self-aware, and humorous than in her previous releases. The album is, in essence, a self-portrait painted with a pallet of sounds, with each track acting as a distinctly flavored stroke, perfectly encapsulating aya’s artistic evolution. Comparing her work to a Caped Crusader skimming her stubble against Catwoman’s boots, or Shakespeare clad in earrings and maneuvering a damaged skateboard, would not be far off. And just like artists she’s comparable to, such as Burial, she carves out her own unique terrain.
While “im hole” diverges significantly from aya’s previous releases, it also amplifies the vision that made her work so captivating. It skilfully synthesises a wide range of influences, from the euphonious aesthetics of club culture to the introspective rumination of experimental electronica. It serves as a testament to her genre-defying vision, proving that aya is an artist that truly dances to the beat of her own drum machine.
