Today, Everything Is Noise is pleased to present the first single from CNJR’s upcoming album, “Burning”. The song offers us a glimpse of the shape CNJR’s next offering, I Can See the Church Burning Through the Binoculars, might take; and, if you’re familiar with CNJR’s earlier work, it might come as a bit of a surprise.
“Burning” is based on a simple descending synth motif which shifts in and out of focus, like a thought that’s constantly on your mind, sometimes all-consuming, sometimes only as a vague concept. In its three brief minutes, the texture of this synth permutates, from grainy verging on harsh at the start, through subaqueous and vacant, to shimmering brightness. CNJR plays with subtle layer additions, accentuating the natural ebb and flow of “Burning”, and it begins to feel meditative and hypnotic, like focussing on the rise and fall of one’s own breath.
CNJR captures the listener in a bubble, which gently expands and contracts, occasionally threatening to burst. We can only guess what lies beyond it; all the music offers us are hints at dark shapes, subtle pulses of light. Over this washy backdrop, CNJR sings one line, over and over: ‘I can see the church burning’. His voice warbles with auto-tune and delay, giving it an air of detachment and slightly dehumanising it. The phrase becomes a mantra, overlapping, merging with harmonies. “Burning” concludes without fuss, without bursting the bubble.
About the song’s inception, CNJR says:
‘”Burning” is the last song written and recorded for the upcoming album. It was almost accidental. I was trying to finish another song for the record and it just wasn’t coming together, so I just started recording whatever came out as a way to clear my head. What happened was a complete song poured out, written and recorded entirely over 48 hours. It’s oddly become my favorite song on the release. Simple, moody, and to the point.’
If you like the murky atmosphere of “Burning” and would like to stay in it a bit longer, keep an eye out for I Can See the Church Burning Through the Binoculars, which releases on October 9 via Future Archive Recordings. Make sure you don’t miss it by following CNJR on Bandcamp and Facebook.