Borscht bask in modern dread on ‘Colour of Forever’.
Borscht is a five-piece south London indie band making music that draws from some iconic sources of inspiration without wearing any of it on its sleeve. Colour of Forever, their debut project proves them to be ones to watch in the indie space; the EP covers a lot of emotional ground, particularly interrogating feelings of dread and ennui in the modern age. Borrowing from folk, rock, and echoing elements of chamber pop, Colour of Forever is impressive in its knowledge of its own identity, while still maintaining a varied line-up of tracks.
The first single, ‘Up North’, is sung in a voice of familiarity, reflecting on the past and leaning into a certain charming British bleakness in its sentiment. This isn’t music that straightens your posture or puts a pep in your step, but it is music that feels necessary right now- to bask in your miseries or bathe in your apathy.
Bon Iver, The Magnetic Fields, and The Kinks are all names you might think of listening to the EP, but the standout track ‘Lost Children of The Digital Age' makes a new rewarding alchemy of these references. Undoubtedly the sleeper hit, ‘Lost Children of The Digital Age' is a four-and-a-half-minute lament that blends social commentary and nihilism. The tales of ‘Juliette’, ‘Carlo’, ‘Johnny’, and ‘Eugene’ (to name a few) detail their respective experiences going through mid-life crises and chasing girls ‘half (their) age’, finding peace of mind in jaywalking, and becoming disillusioned with capitalism grâce à one particularly bad hangover.
The visuals play just as much of a role in Borscht’s identity as the music does; they have chosen claymation as their medium of choice, working with Edie Lawrence (who has made visuals for Kneecap, Goat Girl, and Warmduscher in the past). By indulging in the dark fantasy of uncanny stop-motion and the unsettling self-constructing simulacrum of their public avatars, Borscht are conscious of the interplay between their identity as 21st century artists, and the arena in which their art plays out. I must say it is very satisfying to see these discourses playing out thematically and aesthetically in their work. The holistic sense of the ‘project’ is often lost on the current world stage of music; such deep congruence between aspects of the band is rare and impressive to see.