This side of the millennium has seen a wave of independent music artists, unconstrained by label oversight, experimenting with sound and genres in ways unprecedented. Some folks turn away from, say, the 4chan-inspired metal/soul mashup of Zeal & Ardor, or the warped punk-EDM-klezmer Frankenstein monster that was the debut album of England’s Fat Dog, which ended up as my favorite album of last year. Others (like myself) wholeheartedly embrace the attempt at fusing disparate musical sensibilities, cultures, entire worlds together. Even if the results are sometimes unsatisfactory, the effort never goes unnoticed.
Violet Cold, a one-man band from Azerbaijan, is one such artist that I have been consistently fascinated with since first hearing their music years ago. Spearheaded by sole member Emin Guliyev, their 2021 album Empire of Love was my favorite of that year, not least because of its overt political message (unity and pride in the face of overwhelming odds), but because its music was a searing combination of black metal, synthwave, and shoegaze, with the occasional trap beat or orchestral flourish thrown in for good measure. This was topped off with what sounded like sung female vocals (although it’s not clear if this was indeed a woman singing or Guliyev’s vocals pitched up) and a couple of songs featuring banjo parts, in addition to more traditional screamed vocals. Throughout Violet Cold‘s discography dating back to 2016, there is a consistent willingness to push the boundaries of what I’ll call maximalist music: for every album of relaxing post-rock or pulsating techno, there is one that packs every conceivable sonic idea into one singular experience. This new EP, Modular Consciousness, is no exception.
Beginning with arpeggiated synths and booming drums, “Digital Mirage” kicks off the EP in grand fashion, bringing the listener into the world of Violet Cold before layering in the more left-field elements: wretching vocals, 80s-style electronic drum pads, and tinkling piano lines adorn the lurching electronic beat before they all fall away and the synth is all that’s left. When the drums kick back in, a driving disco beat surges forward this time, while the black metal roaring is prepended by digitally-tinged pop vocals. This sort of give-and-take, push-and-pull style is Violet Cold‘s signature, and even by this point in their career, it is inspiring to hear these ingredients come together in a way that is both surprising and familiar, unpredictable but enjoyable.
“Nightfall” by contrast begins with ominous keyboard notes and a cycling trip-hop beat coupled with high-pitched, almost chipmunked vocals. When those danceable drums resurface alongside the screaming, it may feel like we’re in for more of the same – until the peak we’ve built to drops down into a wall of synths that then augment the sung refrain heard at the beginning. The structure of this song is deceptive: the boilerplate verse-chorus-verse routine is shaken up the key change that takes the song to its end, which, while possibly a cliched move in pop songwriting, actually heightens the tension and makes the chorus stick in the memory while it plays out. The lyrics that are discernible – ‘I wanna fly away from here‘ – may not seem special upon reading them, but working in tandem with this music, it’s hard not to be swept up by the pillowy synths and charging beats.
“Punkcake” sounds like a joke title but in actuality features some of the hookiest writing on the EP: repeated vocal melodies that change octaves rub elbows with double-time punk-metal drumming, giving the listener the feeling of being in some black metal/rave dance club that doesn’t exist (but should). Closer “Afterglow” is a mellower instrumental divorced of all metal leanings, instead content to end the EP on a high note of synth worship and introspection.
It is a testament to Violet Cold‘s talent that even without many intelligible lyrics, there are consistent atmospheres and themes to their music: hope, joy, and the desire to exist outside the box we are kept in (or keep ourselves in). This upbeat quality is infectious and keeps me returning to their projects time and again. For whatever the genre purists might say, this artist dares to dream bigger, without borders, and, above all, will have you dancing the night away.
