Nilufer Yanya - Painless
by Zena Grieg
published: 12 / 4 / 2022

Label:
ATO Records
Format: CD
intro
Minimalist and ethereal second album which reflects on vulnerability and dislocation from London-based singer-songwriter Nilufer Yanya
Singer-songwriter Nilufer Yanya from Chelsea has released her new album, 'Painless', a follow-up to her widely acclaimed debut album ‘Miss Universe’, which was a light-hearted send-up of the Wellness Industry, seeing her veer between grunge, trip-hop and pop, reflecting the influences of the Irish and Middle Eastern music she grew up listening to. In contrast ’Painless’ is minimalist, with its own cohesive sound, traversing indie, synth-pop, electronic, soul-jazz and grunge. Relationships are the main theme in this in her words “very instinctive” collection, accentuating vulnerability and dislocation. Stand-out songs in this twelve-track album include: the catchy, high energy opener ‘The Dealer’ with its jaunty guitar motif; the funky ‘L/R’, featuring her playing traditional Turkish instrument the saz; the understated, hypnotic ‘Shameless’; the single and video ‘Stabilise’, written in London during lockdown, with its urging to escape the monotonous drudgery of city life: “There’s nothing out there/For you and me/I’m going nowhere/Until it bleeds”; the single ‘Midnight Sun’ with its plaintive lyrics: “Love is raised by common thieves/Hiding diamonds up their sleeves” and otherworldly focus: “I really like the imagery of ‘midnight sun’ as a lyric as it insinuates a light guiding you through darkness”; the uplifting ‘Belong With You’, bound to be a gig anthem, with its freewheeling jazz complexion; and music video ‘The Mystic’ with its overriding sense of unease. Lyrical, ethereally melodic with an edge, ‘Painless’ marks a confident, accomplished return for this talented musician
Track Listing:-
1 the dealer2 L/R
3 shameless
4 stabilise
5 chase me
6 midnight sun
7 trouble
8 try
9 company
10 belong with you
11 the mystic
12 anotherlife
Band Links:-
https://niluferyanya.com/https://www.facebook.com/niluferyanya/
https://twitter.com/niluferyanya
Label Links:-
http://atorecords.com/https://www.facebook.com/atorecords
https://twitter.com/atorecords
https://www.youtube.com/user/atorecords
https://vimeo.com/user1005122
https://instagram.com/atorecords/
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