Jana Josephina - Contradiction

  by John Clarkson

published: 8 / 9 / 2015

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Review

'Contradiction' is the enjoyable debut album in English of Frankfurt-based singer-songwriter and actress, Jana Josephina. Euphoric in sound, it combines Jana’s infectious melodies with the glistening synths and hammering tribal beats of her songwriting partner Joe Cross, who has provided the programming and instrumentation as well as produced the album. As instantly gripping as these are, what really gives ‘Contradiction’ an edge are Jana’s soaring and distinctive vocals, which sung in a second language draw the listener in with their unusualness, and her lyrics which are both thoughtful and questioning. The exuberant techno pop of ‘Daydreamer’ captures the early day ecstasy of an obsessive relationship with someone that Jana yet fears that may ultimately not do her a lot of good (“And when the darkness it holds me tight/Dreamdancer you –torched the night”). On the choral ‘Ghost’ the relationship is equally intense, but already over, and Jana, the one left behind, jealously questions her former partner’s ability to seemingly instantly put her out of reach behind him (“When you told her you were hoping to move on/I was there, I was there/when you told there was someone but now she’s gone/I was there”). Tomorrow’ finds Jana wrung out and depressed, but clinging to the fact that another day might be better (“Tomorrow tick tocks the pain away/So I keep going”), while gorgeous piano ballad ‘Say What You Want’ finds her trying to convince herself that another relationship in which she has invested a lot is not really over. (“Say what you want/Tell me it’s over/Tell me it’s over/You can say what you want/I never listen/I never listen”). The titanic, enormous-in-sound final track ‘Avalanche’ captures the contradictions and contrast of a lot of what has gone on before (“There is a savage in the saint/There is a holiness in sin/There is a comfort to the avalanche I am in”). For Jana Josephina, things are rarely black and white, and she recognizes that there is an element of ambivalence even in the most intense of circumstances. This is thought-provoking, intelligent and well-crafted pop of the highest order.

Track Listing:-

1 Avian Me
2 Dreamdancer
3 Charm
4 The Greatest
5 Ghost
6 Still
7 Right Now
8 I Know
9 Tomorrow
10 Nightingale
11 Say What You Want
12 Avalanche

Band Links:-

https://www.facebook.com/Jana.Josephin
http://www.josephina-music.com/
https://twitter.com/JanaJosephina
https://www.youtube.com/user/janajosep

Label Links:-

http://www.check12perfect.com/
https://twitter.com/check12perfect
https://www.facebook.com/Check12Perfec