Life’s unpredictability and its transformative events can be unsettling, especially when it alters fundamental aspects of who we are and how we perceive our surroundings. Such transformations can encompass personal growth, shifting priorities, or external factors like job changes. The natural human reaction is to fear the unknown, but with their powerful new album Chains, Russian synthwave duo SUPERNOVA 1006 encourages embracing these changes. Their album is a reflection of this tumultuous journey, illustrating the importance of striving for inner peace amidst life’s chaos.
“Every person has turning points in life that change everything,” says the St Petersburg-based band. “There is a huge number of events that come at you in a continuous stream. It’s hard to accept that you have changed and will no longer be the same. You change in everything; you change in character, life values, change your environment, change the job in which you work. So what is happening scares you very much and this is natural. Not knowing what awaits you ahead you can only close your eyes and move forward towards your dream of finding eternal silence and peace. This album is about the struggle for your happiness, about the struggle for silence and harmony with oneself.”
The album opens with Tell Your Name, which grapples with loss, identity, and a yearning for clarity amidst the enveloping shadows of regret. Evoking feelings of dislocation, they seek recognition, understanding, and salvation, ultimately yearning for the solace found in a familiar name amidst the consuming void. Channeling LCD Soundsystem, the melancholy I’m Not Crying confronts the weight of alienation and the fear of rejection, in a desperate plea for erasure of the past and a vulnerable assertion of stoicism.
Alone, which channels Curses and ACTORS, delves into the labyrinth of concealment, both from oneself and the world. The themes of isolation and self-infliction manifest poignantly, juxtaposing the intensity of internal cries against the deafening silence of solitude. How They Know lays bare a visceral longing for understanding and acceptance, coupled with a stark revelation of judgment and unseen battles. The recurring desires and questions evoke a universal human quest for recognition and empathy.
The tender Tell Your Name addresses profound loss, memory, and yearning. The motifs of darkness, falling, and coldness add layers to the melancholic journey towards understanding and redemption. The rollicking dance floor banger Ghostrunner delves into themes of betrayal, resilience, and uncertainty. The lyrics provoke thought on the thin line between pain, perseverance, and self-awareness.
In the evocative, Before I’ll Make You Cry, the lyrics fall into a whirlwind of emotions—from yearning and remembrance to resentment and love. Amidst this tumult, there’s a palpable struggle with deception, leading to a dissolution of beliefs. The album closes with Die With Me, a starkly candid invitation, perhaps both seductive and desolate, calling for unity in oblivion. Amidst this, there’s an assertion of love, offering a poignant juxtaposition of devotion and the allure of escape.
Chains is out now via Negative Gain Productions today and on CD/cassette via Sierpien Records.
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