LIL SILVA, YESTERDAY IS HEAVY
Bedford artist Lil Silva introduceD electronic indie pop-tinted debut-album “Yesterday is Heavy” this summer on record-label Nowhere Music. 12 tracks, 45 minutes for a beautiful story about human journey : love, doubts, AND hope.
Featuring worldwide creatives Little Dragon, Charlotte Day Wilson, BADBADNOTGOOD, Sampha, Skiifall, Elmienne, Ghetts and serpentwithfeet; with the contribution of Mansur Brown, James Vincent Mc Morrow, Duncan Laurence, George FitzGerald, Jamie Woon, Miles James, Benji B, and Kwes.
It all starts with first track “Another Sketch”, which sounds like a happy anthem for a utopian society built on values such as hope, kindness and forgiveness. The setting we’re just starting to dive into is an electronic pop magical realm where Lil Silva’s clear and benevolence voice sings mercy for crying souls. Tracksubmits the idea of forgetting about resentment and simply reminding that we are all constantly just trying to figure out, then reminding bible’s verset that we have all heard at least once : He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first » (Jn 8,7).
All in the same boat, we feel a wide range of emotions overlooked by society’s eye and ideals we often fail to reach – cause they’re made-up ideals. Swedish band Little Dragon therefore arrives with waving guitars on “Be cool” to encourage people to drop the false pretenses. As ego and social masks often prevent honesty to express itself, Yukimi Nagano lead singer’s words instill the desire to let the guards down and listen to our instinct.
Now underwater. Lil Silva, with Future Bass track “Vera (Judah Speaks)” makes us cross a 6.0 ocean to cleanse the chakras, remembering Vegyn’s 75 candy loops Don’t Follow Me I’m Lost Too !. And in the sea of emotions, a lot of waves are triggered by sentimental feelings. It might be hard sometimes to dare to ask ourselves but also to the other : “ Was it all worth it ? How do you, how do you still cope ?”.
“ Was it all worth it ? How do you, how do you still cope.”
Indeed, Yesterday is Heavy project put lights on relationships. In fourth track “Leave it” featuring Canadian singer, producer and multi-instrumentalist Charlotte Day Wilson, the artists together open their wounded hearts to heal from the past sorrows in a new space of love and support. Here, Lil Silva wants us to trust the uncertainty, and play the game, now. The message is crystal-clear : Play the game of life and don’t worry.
James Vincent McMorrow, Benji B and Lil Silva team up on beautiful UK bass enchanting and frantic track “September”, adding a sample of soul ballad “I Love My Father” by George Smallwood. Guess it’s time to go through the retro-futuristic tunnel which is supposed to drop us in a mindplace where the angle we choose tumbles for lightness.
Video games have started to be fun, the absurdity of life is accepted and enjoyed as super talented punk jazz band BADBADNOTGOOD brings their unique cinematographic and eery groove. In this mysterious chapter, all the emotions are lived through the spectrum of a poetic optimism meanwhile Alex Sowinski’s drums bring us back “To the floor’, the track being as contemplative as dancing.
What happens inside is unpredictable, every minute might be explosive inside. Sampha’s melancholia glides reminiscent 2011, year of release of SBTRKT's memorable eponymous album and tracks “Hold On”, “Trials of the Past”, “Something Goes Right” “Never Never”’ sad but conqueror atmosphere.
Violent hope, guilt, resentment, harsch accountability, shame are pictured as the drums’s rhythm mimes the vicious circle that suck us in : It's backwards how you cyclone me /Sinkhole, blackhole, control me / It's backwards, I move in slowly / It's backwards, you say it's all me. Piano notes bring some sweetness at its end, the movement finally brightens the next coming morning. Everyday can welcome a new revolution, after a storm comes the sun.
Confidence is back with banger “What If ?” featuring Caribbean-canadian artist Skiifall blending dub and a drill in such a deep and bouncy way. This bass music track – composed by Lil Silva and Sampha – is a metallic and solemn highly charged magic spell and a celebration of cultural heritage and gratitude : “ What if Virgil never showed mi love? / What if I was still in di street wid di thugs? / Never woulda mek no funds fi mi mom / Never woulda mek no bread, just crumbs / Shatter mi truth pon dem blasted gum / All weight pon mi back, dis ah big mountain / Carry this one and I hold it, I chose this one.”
Yesterday is Heavy definitely is an epic story. Humanity is its hero, the latter experiencing a journey made of achievements and falls. That’s what Lil Silva is telling us : we’re just humans, we’re all silently struggling, as “Colours” second part musically embodies the adventure’s obstacles with harmonious cacophony and heart-beating drums. “Colours colours colours / Last time I checked / We all bleed the same thing, Red / Last time I checked / We all bleed the same thing, Red”. Peacefulness and magnanimity reappears with magnificent synths.
Tackling with the beauty and the horror of human society, “About us” welcomes English singer and songwriter Elmiene sharing the mottos. “TRUST, LOVE, REST, HUMILITY : Humble yourself, I know it's hard / Just open your heart, only you feel what you feel / No one can make that change, it's only real to you.”
Sampha’s coming back on one of the prettiest track of the album, “Still”, with London rapper Ghetts. This one draws attention on human’s chaotic and unpredictable conditions often subjected to pride, a tool we all use to entertain the illusion of having control over situations and peers : family, lovers, friends. As Ghetts say :“ I don't need an island just to tell me I'm an island / 'Cause I just need some love, hug, and a kiss.”
From a “kill them all (type of video game)” beat, as we close our eyes meditating on the last lyrics “This world, this is cold”, baroque-soul artist serpentwithfeet unveils last track “Ends now”. Who could have been better for a heavenly and spiritual closing track ? He sings the feeling of being abandoned by a lover who broke a promise that were impossible to truly be make. As the elements, humans and experiences are born, they grow, evolve, and disappear. But the energy’s not lost, it nourishes and as an example allowed this sublime track and whole project to be created; energy re-created, so is the soul’s renewal. Embrace all the emotions.