Source: Album artwork
Since the beginning of 2014 The Black Queen have been working on their debut album Fever Daydream in a dank warehouse infested with cockroaches. Not only did they have that to deal with drab accommodation, the writing of the album turned out to be a greater emotional journey than each member expected; causing them all to enter states of panic and compulsion with waves of worry. After a tough time filled with obstacles and constant opportunities for self discovery, The Black Queen have created an unconventional album truly portraying clash of their past and their future with their emotions along the way.
The album commences with ‘Now, when I’m this’ which when the musical material is compared to the title is very ironic. The prolonged drone of sounds combining into a mixture of noise, not knowing when one sound starts to when the next one ends; a true sense of being lost. ‘Now when I’m this’ almost acts as an anticlimax for the beginning track of the album which leaves more questions for listeners which in turn makes it an effective opening.
Throughout the majority of the album the songs contain a strong sense of ambiance and feeling of loss and being lost. This can be portrayed through the empty sample sounds creating a somber house style repeating into nothingness like at the end of ‘The end where we start’. The strong percussive empty sound is present through most of their tracks which contrasts well with vocalists occasional breathy but emotional tone. Something which can sound so empty sounds so full with the combination of sound layers and the vocals like in ‘Maybe we should.’
The Black Queen may not offer virtuosic solos and a strong sense of direction in their music but they do provide a true achievement pain and hurt which allows you to escape. Being lost is the sense in their music which then helps find your way back, it takes being lost to know where you are. A true escape into their music and you remained captured in their album until the end. You never knew experiments could be so emotional.
