A beautiful new single from Juliane Viktoria delivers a very unique approach to a concept we all have to deal with and think about at times, and she does it by opening up and letting all those inner thoughts just spill out everywhere for you to soak in.
Throughout this process, you begin to get attached to not only the sentiment and the understanding of what the concept is about for the track. You also start to get attached to the personality and character that it comes with.
"Not Afraid To Die" is slightly existential and balances this beautiful set of tonalities that come in layers of textures between vocoders, vocal harmonies, keys, synths, and expansive, vast undertones that have the ability to let you get engulfed in everything that's going on
At the base of the track, there is a beautiful piano section which delivers a cinematic backbone, and it's something that feels dreamy but intense at the same time.
I found it outstanding that she can blend those two heavy-handed aspects together so seamlessly.
Throughout the track, you start to understand that she uses her vocals almost like instruments. A lot of tones and notes float around through the track's ether, giving it a more expansive atmosphere and letting you fall into that easily.
This is, indeed, more of a dream pop style track, but there are layers to how it unfolds, and you end up wrapping yourself around those lyrics as well.
In case you couldn't tell from the title itself, this track focuses on death and how it comes with a slew of thoughts and emotions once that concept comes into play in your mind.
This song has a strange way of growing in intensity as it unfolds, and I find it is beautifully constructed and arranged because it pulls you in and keeps you there.
You also have this element of edginess in its underbelly. It is soft, smooth, charismatic, and has color to it, but there is this edginess there too that shows face every once in a while.
The vocal melodies themselves are absolutely gorgeous and the whole song comes through with such a lush and full-bodied soundscape that you end up thinking about it long after the song is over.
I can't say that I've heard a song that tackles the concept of death the way this does, and it's quite beautiful because of its honesty.
As I mentioned earlier, the honesty gives it character, and the character is what you hold on to throughout this song.
I also love how she's experimental with production and uses different effects on her vocals to add certain elements of drama and color to her performance.
There are sections where she's using a vocoder or auto-tune type of effect, but in the background, you have such a spacious undertone, and those two elements are part of what give the song those hints of edginess.
Having something so up close and in your face vocally but having that sit on top of such a vast background is intense and, again, cinematic.
I feel like a lot of attention was paid to the detail of how the song was constructed and recorded, but it never loses its sentiment, purpose, or character the entire time, and that may be the most important part of the whole thing.
This had a flow to it, and if you listen to it with headphones, you can float alongside the entire thing.
You do get wrapped up in those lyrics for sure, but it's the soundscape that gets you there in the first place.
A unique approach to a dream pop sound, this is a single you don't want to miss, especially if you like songs that let you think.
Dive into this one when you can because it's well worth your time. Again, doing it with headphones is the best way to soak in not only the lyrics but also the layers of textures that the song gives off.
Remember where you heard it first.
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