Sunday, January 1, 2012

MP3// Van Stonholdt: 21st Century Problem


If you take a wander across Van Stonholdt's SoundCloud you'll find scattered amongst the wispy white branches a few tracks. Five to be exact, held in atmospheric suspension. To explore further would reveal numbers abundant in bass, throbbing and pulsating. Wailing. Small squeals of reverb and fluctuating signals detail a cosmic groan echoing across this dying planet. Yesterday however, Stonholdt dropped '21st Century Problem' upon his land to lie cheek to cheek with those five fallen numbers. Take a deep breath and dissect these four minutes though, and you'll find something fantastical. A muffled drum and an upbeat melody emerge from the silence, rising up against the previously miserable backdrop to a glorious smile. Home recorded music always holds a particular charm for me, honest and humble and quietly aspirational. Stonholdts vocals appear so. Beautifully understated, the lyrics are sang with the knowledge that the singer cannot possibly solve this '21st century problem'. As an abrasive finish ends you decide that all in all the song was rather brilliant!