If we can all agree with one thing, is that these last couple years have been… unique. Not only has there been a worldwide pandemic, but political unrest has been present in various parts of the world. These events silently drain our energy. However, this era may also serve as inspiration to a creative boom. Such is the case of Eddie Cohn’s fourth album Dystopian Days. A blend of electronica and rock, this politically charged album is a collection of tracks which reflect around the dark times we live in.
Dystopian Days was written throughout the 2020’s and 2021 era. Completly recorded remotely, Eddie Cohn reflects around the political turmoil in which the world was involved with, particularly those that happened in his home country, The United States of America. The singer-songwriter takes the opportunity to make sense of pandemic struck America. Allusions to real-life events fill the album, but are never explicitly mentioned to give the listener the opportunity to make up their own interpretations of what they are really talking about. In a way, Dystopian Days serves as a cathartic experience: Cohn vents his frustrations with the current state of affairs as he leaves us with something beautiful to listen to. He presents a perfect blend of electronica and rock that favours neither side by finding the sweet spot in between the two of them. He fluctuates from Pearl Jam to Beck effortlessly.
After my last record, I wasn’t sure if or when the creative bug may strike again. I started to write a book, I became a yoga teacher and I started to DJ around LA. I was feeling a lot of satisfaction with these other creative outlets but then 2020 happened and we were all forced to stay inside and I found myself going to a pretty dark place emotionally. I thought a lot about my health, what I truly value and I thought about life and death. I of course started to lose faith in the government and I often wondered if they really have out best interests. And what is the media’s role in all of this? If they do nothing but report bad news and try to scare us into submission, what’s the cultural impact of all of that non stop bad news. So from that pretty dark place, I felt re-energized to start writing songs again. -Eddie Cohn
The songs that make up Dystopian Days brood a dark athmosphere that reflects the emotions of the lyrics, as the title may suggest. Disappointment, anger and impotence: Cohn creates a heavy, extremely dense, mood that allows the listener to discover something new with each repeat. Cohn’s saddened vocals express images of destruction, fire, injustice and cruelty as the dark synths loom in the background. “Freedom”, “Underwater” and “Dystopian Days” illustrate a broken world that may never be what it once was. “Broken Pieces”, “What Do You Want From Me” and “Kill Silently” recognize the vulnerability of human nature. Dark themes throughout. And yet, the album is never tiring to listen to. The upbeat drums make it feel extremely dynamic like those in “Broken Pieces”. Further more, each track is built in a way that they keep the listener’s attention. For example “Runaway” introduces a rhythmic pattern that reappears in certain parts of the track, while introducing small variations each time. Cohn interjects a couple of tracks that serve as a call of action to the listener. “Animals” recognizes the strength that humans share when they organize to resist injustice, while “Be the Flame” incites to start the revolution that will bring out the better of humanity.
Dystopian Days is a heavy, yet necessary album. With its densely layered sound, full of different, hidden, colors, It serves as a mirror of the times it was written. Eddie Cohn finds the perfect way to tackle these themes, reflecting his personal feelings with a metaphoric approach, while never making the tracks feel completly depressing. Hard hitting, raw, make sure to give a listen to Dystopian Days!
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It also helps to stream and share her music; you can obviously find it in the following Playlists: Less Than 1,000 Followers, Indie Only, Alterindie State Of Mind, and 12 New Songs This Week.
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This coverage was created via Musosoup #Sustainablecurator