Liquid Modern - Circle & Light

Review by Karl Magi

Overall Album Impressions

Liquid Modern’s Circle & Light  is a thoughtful, synth-heavy examination of our current world and all of its emotional complexities and struggles. It features Kojette’s inimitable vocals along with  Lord Kojak’s musically varied synth backing and intelligent lyrics. As a whole, this album is synthpop with heart and soul.

Kojette’s vocals are a good part of my reason for enjoying Circle & Light. Her voice is distinctive and combines emotional power with gentleness and a tremulous expression. The mingled qualities in her voice, qualities that caress and emote help to imbue the well-crafted lyrics with strength and life.

I am also drawn to the lyrical quality on Circle & Light. The songwriting is rich with emotions, full of challenging thoughts and able to delve deeply into the world in which we find ourselves. The way in which the songs unfold carries me on journeys through feeling and thought while keeping me engaged.

The musical richness on this album was also compelling. There are a wide variety of different influences from jazz to New Wave music to synthwave that all combine to create a deeply enjoyable whole. Lord Kojak weaves an ear-pleasing musical tapestry to support the strong vocal performances by Kojette.

My Favourite Songs Analyzed

“Habits” comes to ilife as smoothly touching retro drums and a resonant accordion-like sound moves in the background. A steadily throbbing drumbeat and leaping, gruff electric guitar carries a driven melody as Kojette’s voice is fully of poppy expression. Guitar doubles the aching vocal melody as the throbbing drums and bass propel the music.

Kojette’s voice suits the style of the music with its warmth and expression as guitar surges in a gruff, energetic melodic line. Kojette’s voice carries soft emotion as the music’s pulse shapes it while synth sparks fall through the track.

Now swelling, jazz organ chords add depth while unique, hollow percussion forms a distinctive rhythm. The distorted vocals, high and twisting, move above the percussion. Fully pulsating drums and solid bas support the chorus as it floats out above the wriggling guitar line and the hurting vocal melody.

Our narrator opens by talking about meeting someone when she needed a place to stay. The other person lets her in and reassures her, but soon that person says that “things are great, so you think you might love me now.” She points out that the other person is taking advantage when her defences are lowered.

The storyteller says she’s “chasing old habits and I’m falling down their holes” and as she chases those habits down, she’s “running out of soles.” Even as she chases those habits down, our storyteller says she’s slaying them and running from the habits that pin her down.

Now the narrator says that she trusted the other person but that person “built a cage around my will” and she is stuck now with no avenue of escape “except to spill.” She goes on to say that the other person had the ability to stop but that person “made my life a living hell.” As the song ends, she is defiant as she says, “Just one last thing, I’ll find this freedom from where I fell.”

Easily gliding sounds slip into the music and grow while trumpeting, glowing synth rises in rich bursts to start “Lack of Access.” Throbbing drums and bass launch the song and the vocals are rich and warm, climbing up in a poppy line over the driving bass and drums. The vocal melody flickers and shifts between warmth and shadow, arcing upwards expressively while bursting, shiny synth swirls interlock.

The hollow, massive drums throb as the vocals are full with feeling and the melody climbs up above the pulsating drums and bass. The singer reaches out to express deep emotion as she delivers a message of making active change and escaping past limits.

The narrator starts by pointing out how everything is “so twisted” and adds that the powers that be are “playing us like we missed it.” She points out that people don’t have “the power for changing” so the powerful forces “just keep rearranging.” The end result is the system only working for the people on top and “everyone is so damn through” as the narrator says.

She adds that “we can’t fix it, so why even try” as it has all gone “so far awry.” Our narrator talks about the powerful “take licks on our morality” while leading people to question what’s real.

She goes on to say that she doesn’t believe it any more and “a generation never heard is no more.” In a call to action, she calls to other people out there to tell them that history is being made and adds “be part of this story!”

The storyteller points out that even as the powers that be are questioning the activism, “we keep changing” and all they’re doing is “estranging.”Ultimately our narrator goes on to say that the powerful will be “stuck in history” while those who resist “make our final plea.”

Now the storyteller calls for people to take up action as she says “I can’t do anything for you, this is something you must do.” She adds that people must “save us or save yourself” because it’s something that is hidden inside “as well.”

The narrator says that the people at the top “make life full of banality” and lie to “cover up your vanity” while they “believe in what you don’t any more.” She talks about how they’ve ignored the current generation but concludes that “we’re taking history, be part of the story.”

“With You” commences as an evenly pulsing snare drum with a hollow feeling is broken by trickling chimes that sparkle through the song. Kojette’s voice is rich and soulful as she emotes above the gliding drum pulse, deeply washing bass and shimmering synth motes that flutter past.

The vocal melody is gentle and caressing as full, circular synth notes drift. I am impressed by the way in which Kojette fills her easily sailing voice with full of pained feeling. Steadily tapping snare drum and rebounding kick drum shape the music as the creamy bass lifts the vocals.

The song brims with regret and a sense of loss, tinged by wistfulness. The background swirls as the chimes cascade down in falling, glimmering lines s as bass descends in tumbling motion.Kojette’s delicate vocals twine through over the tapping drums and full-feeling bass as the synth lights flicker and fade.

Our narrator has “an epiphany” as she was “feeling all fidgety” as she wonders if she has lost “the key” and if the song’s subject has closed their heart “as I made my last plea.” She goes on to say that “with you, with me, there’s never any we” and adds that it is all based on lies and she’s been made to cry once too often.

The storyteller tells the other person that it “was an attack on me” when that person took her heart from her and decided to leave. She adds, “Shame on you. Shame on me.” She goes on ask why the song’s subject lied to her and wonders if that person found the key. She concludes, “Did I fight for nothing as you dropped to your knees.”

Kojette’s voice echoes out as a steady snare drum shifts below rapid, smoothly undulating arpeggios to open “Let’s Go (Run).”  Additional drum elements come in with throbbing bass as a guitar unfurls in a shadowy, mysterious melody. Kojette’s voice slips through the song as the scudding drumbeat shapes the track.  Reverent, cosmic sounds swirl as the caressing vocals effectively convey dreaming and hoping in equal measure.

Medium-high, luscious synth is broken by clean strings and after a drum fill, a guitar solo flies out in intricately whirling lines over the steady beat’s guidance. The guitar is a flickering, soaring companion to the energetic drive of the drums and bass. K’s voice unfurls as emotion pours forth, carrying the melody’s mingled uplift and float, the drums and bass ending the song.

The storyteller says that her fear is taken away by bright lights as she hides “where no one else can leer.” She’s awaiting a moment of clarity while she’s dancing “so no one can come near.” She addresses the other person in the song and asks them to play and run away adding that “we can find another place.” Our narrator points out that its 3 a.m. but they can keep going.

In contrast to the first line, the storyteller now speaks of bright lights bringing in the fear as the darkness “is hiding all the tears.” She talks about their leaving “with nowhere else to go” and how they are watching as she knows that “we’re never going home.”

“Boppin’ Along” begins as rapidly bursting, elevated synth interlocks with rebounding drums and glittering synths. Kojette’s distinctive voice carries a drifting melody that’s wistful and a little enigmatic. The drums firmly propel the track as enfolding, climbing synths with a sunny glow swirl around Kojette’s strong voice.

The higher synth’s unique pulsation mingles with drums and bass to form a dynamic pattern.  The chorus leaps up, soothing and positive, as quick synth sparks flutter through. Kojette’s lush voice carries the delicate, uplifting melody with conviction as the song's low end oscillates fades out on floating sounds.

Our song’s narrator wonders if the other person can hear her “from wherever you are” and sees that the other person is “staring sightless” as she continues. She asks “how does this make you feel?” In the chorus, our narrator points out that “sometimes fiction turns out to be fact” and it’s just what occurs. She hopes that maybe the other person will hear her and “something will click” but she adds “who really knows?"

The storyteller says that she “can’t tell you all the secrets to life” as it might end in conflict. She experiences self doubt as she states that she can’t help the other person as “I’m just a fraud” and wishes she didn’t have so many flaws. Now our storyteller says she’s reaching out to the other person “through the universe.” She tells the other person that they need to “hear this first” and take her warning that “things are not as seen in the morning.” After the chorus repeats, the narrator’s final question is “Who really cares?”

Jazz organ chords with a rich resonance are joined by Kojette’s gentle voice and a hazily flowing background to kick off “Color & Light.”  Solid percussion shapes the song and the vocal melody trembles as it drifts through the diffuse background glow.

Percussion kicks in with a smooth heartbeat and some unique drum sounds while Kojette’s softly emotive voice skilfully captures the feeling in the lyrics. Steady, medium-high synth repeatedly pulses before the elevated, tenuous vocal melody floats over the delicate background. Soothingly shifting drums tap along to add light forward motion as sparkling chimes brush through and Kojette’s voice fades out.

Disillusionment fills the lyrics as the narrator talks about how one doesn’t decide when one grows up because “it’s all a construct of chance, happenstance and such.” She advises the audience to “adapt or you will find only loneliness” and points out that strength seems only to move into weakness. There’s pain as she says that it might take one years to “discover what I found out in just minutes.”

In the chorus, our storyteller says that holding on to her beliefs or “bowing to all the opinions” she ultimately found out that “you don’t really matter.” She adds that she wished she had learned many lessons so she “wouldn’t have to decipher.”

Now the narrator talks about returning to the “start of the verse” because “nothing is devoid of meaning” although it can be mixed up. She says that if one changes, one will only get a label and denying it only makes it hurt more. Now she adds that one shouldn’t “take as long” because “you’re expected” and one needs to be calm and collected.”

As the song ends, the storyteller says that "realization makes this uncomfortable” and going through the process is “so personal.” Ultimately she understands that "everyone is taken away and given away. The lies become clear.”

“Voices Carry” is a cover of a Til Tuesday song. Sonic whorls grow up and around one another as lightly guiding percussion taps into the music and Kojette’s voice carries aching emotion as the bursting drums pushes the song onwards. Synths dance as they carry the contrasting uplifting sound of the melody along with nervous vocals.

Raised, round-feeling synths add a fullness and a caressing feeling. I enjoy how Kojette’s gentle vocals and the darkness of the lyrics mix together as wide-sounding, flaring synths support the music and the drums and bass add propulsion.

The chorus leaps up, feeling hopeful in a way that adds a heartbreaking feeling when the words are considered, while the drumbeat keeps pulsing along and the vocal melody is tinged by mournful emotion.

A medium-high, bell-like synth wash is guided by snapping, hollow percussion to open “Take A Bow.”  Xylophone trickles through as Kojette fills her fragile, trembling vocals with deep feeling. I am drawn to the vocal melody’s sadness and hint of minor key shadow.

A xylophone vibrates with smooth resonance as Kojette’s vocals float with the ticking percussion, adding more aching emotion. The bass has a deep flow and the enfolding vocals are more encouraging. Unique, varied percussion keeps up a shaping beat. Tendrils of softly floating sound accompany Kojette’s voice, breathy and emotive, as it drifts over echoing notes and into silence.

Nervousness fills the lyrics as our storyteller says that “in the shadows is where I lied” as she points out that “we” were taught to hide and never be alone because “you can’t defend solo.” There is a warning that someone out there will take “what he wants from you” so stay alert, “wake up and pretend you’re tough.” In this world, the chorus suggests that one must have “eyes on everyone” with a finger on the trigger. It exhorts the audience to “keep it close, don’t let it go, take a bow.”

The narrator talks about being so “delicate, breakable, easily takeable” and contrasts the idea of looking sweet while taking “drinks from creeps.” She cautions her audience with society’s advice to find a strong person “that’s bound to make you feel safe and sound.”

If one wants to keep secrets in this digital world, the narrator advises using paper to communicate. She goes on to give a final piece of advice to “lock up, no delay. Do things the right way in the after hours.”

Conclusion

Circle & Light is a synthpop album that explores nuanced emotions, musical richness and thoughtful songwriting while being a great deal of fun in the bargain. I hope to hear more from Liquid Modern again very soon!