New Season by Chikiss
Experimental Pop meets Ambient
Evolving over a dozen releases stretching back to 2007, the musical productions of Russian songstress Galina Ozeran, aka Chikiss, has donned many guises, from Post Rock to folky Pop to Ambient, culminating in the skewed and spectral Electronic Pop of new album New Season. This path makes perfect sense, like a shedding of the downy feathers, Ozeran has purged her early roots and come of age. Traditional instruments like guitars and drums have been cast out in favour of synthesisers and drum machines. There's even less lyrical singing, replaced instead with manipulated and ghostly vocal sounds.
Across the ten tracks, the balance of leftfield Pop and instrumentals is perfectly poised, with yearning melody interspersed with downbeat Ambient sounds. And while her songwriting skills are still in evidence (Baby, bye is a beautifully realised song) the experimental edge is most prevalent. Fans of Faten Kanaan will relish the whole thing.
- Rating: 9/10
- Listens: 17
- Highlight: Baby, bye
- Label: Not Not Fun
- Release Date: 1st December, 2017