On the outside, Personalia is an ordinary album, but once you delve into its prism, it explodes into a spectrum of harmonies and colours.
Glistening from start to finish, we’re invited to dive into the world of Christina Schneider and her personal anecdotes and illustrative conversations. As the first track ‘Sanctimitus Detrimitus’ begins, you can feel the burst of lo-fi white light, echoing a Kate Bush-like ethereal ambiance, letting you know this piece is not just here to be admired, but understood.
From a flowing to a tight tempo, Schneider keeps us on our toes throughout Personalia as we travel across the blues and greens of the electronic beats. At times, I lost myself in its melodies, breezing from a track to the next. A highlight track of the album is ‘Even the Good Boys are Bad’, a cherry red cyber sensual storm. It’s droning synth and sultry vocals ooze a nostalgic feeling of Goldfrapp’s ‘Oh La La’, and just as shiny.
Not only is this an album of colours, but an introspective glare into society. Even on the effervescent ‘Whisper 2000’, hidden beneath its preppy dance, it holds the message of moving on – “If you cannot behold my miracle, step away from the vehicle.” With past alias’ of CE Schneider Topical and Jepeto Solutions, I think Personalia is truly an album where we get to the core of Schneider’s identity and emotions.
Nothing is held back – from the satirical fashion of calling out beauty standards in ‘Hot Wife’ to her unleashed harmonies in penultimate track ‘Futureless Hives of Bel Air’ creating an echo chamber of angelic feelings. I’ve heard that the pen is mightier than the sword, and Locate S,1 only proves it in her powerful words and even stronger instrumental.
Overall, Schneider has created a technicolour tour de force under Personalia, echoing a sense of emblazoning evolution and expelling the darkness in your life so you can, in fact, live. And I do live a better life now I’ve heard this.
Haiku Review:
Schneiders spectrum adds
A ray of bright light to the
Dark side of the moon
Listen to Locate S,1 on Spotify and Apple Music. Get the latest edition of our print magazine featuring cover star Soccer Mommy, grammy-nominated Black Pumas, Alfie Templeman and more HERE.
