Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Daena Jay's Subdivision


South African Daena Jay has traveled the planet and lived in some of the most interesting places on the planet. Durban, London, Perth, LA; been there done that wrote a song about it. Daena Jay has taken those experiences as well a stories of love and loss and put them into her Subdivision EP. This five song affair hovers the grey areas between being singer/songwritery, Florence and the Machine, and chill wave.

Electronic, dramatic, and intimate Subdvision is a beautiful little record that's as haunting as it is stirring and as lush as it is complicated. With piano, rattling percussion. lush synths and her soaring and striking voice Subdivision is an emotional and melodramatic experience. The way Daena uses her voice and lets it seep between the percussion gives her songs this minimalist feel despite the whole thing being rather overwhelming emotionally. In listening to this thing one can't help but wonder if Daena is ok...the songs aren't chipper and I wonder if all this moving around is the result of all this love and loss that permeates every lyric on Subdivision. While it makes the record texturally and emotionally intriguing, I just hope she's ok.

Potentially depressing but in the most beautiful way possible Subdivision is an impressive effort from one heck of an artist. Not the feel good hit of the summer, but one awesome EP Daena Jay will have you wanting to hug someone...anyone.

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