Visceral and gripping, Darcie is victorious with her new alt-pop sound in ‘Silence’.
Hailing from Manchester, Darcie is the project of multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter Zigi Porter. Gaining recognition from her previous lo-fi soul-pop singles Mango, Litter and Darling (all of which are also captivating tracks), Darcie is switching up her sound with ‘Silence’. Taking a darker journey into glitchy alt-pop, she ruminates on a “rubbish relationship” in close, intimate vocal tones and masterfully chopped-up production.
Indeed, if I had to predict, you’ll probably find me gushing about this track’s production throughout the review. Darcie has utilised technologically-driven percussion and crunchy bass synths before in her 2019 track ‘Modern Day Housewife’, as well as triggering these sonic intricacies in her live performances too – though in ‘Silence’, this skill really shines. Tracks that predominantly ride on chopped-up production can often sound a little overbearing if too many layers are crammed in, but this track is a masterclass in finding that perfect balance. As if being emitted by a particularly rhythmic fax machine (that’s a good thing), the exciting, grinding, rolling bass synths and oddly-satisfying clattering percussion give enough space for Zigi’s crisp vocals to thrive, and for a mood-change into pensive clean guitar tones.
Speaking of vocals, Zigi’s performance and the production match each other perfectly. Where there is empty space in the track, her voice is particularly intimate – but when the low-end starts rolling in, her dynamic shifts, lowering her pitch and becoming threatening (‘the silence we create is a violent mistake’), anticipating the upcoming abnormal soundscape.
Darcie cites influences such as Rex Orange County and SOPHIE, which can both be heard, but I can’t say I’ve listened to anything quite like ‘Silence’ before. Hopefully it doesn’t seem ridiculous to say the production reminds me a little of JPEGMAFIA, but frankly he lacks the dulcet tones of Zigi Porter. Needless to say, if you want to listen to something genuinely impressive, captivating, and unique, Darcie can sort you out.
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The post NEW MUSIC: Darcie – Silence appeared first on Turtle Tempo.
