Within the battle of soft lyrics and intense instrumentals, the voice of Emel Mathlouthi is a revolution. The sincerity of our songstress’ struggles seeps through as you become enveloped in all her feelings. The volatile vulnerability in ‘Womb’ halts your goosebumps to attention, pricking each hair on your arm to stand with her, while digital glitches of ‘A Quiet Home’ awaken your senses as you feel a burrowing hole in your sternum, drilled through by operatic emotion.
In her hauntingly beautiful voice and spiritual synth you see a wildfire spread through a forest. You cannot help but stand in awe of the falling evergreens as they crash around you, igniting the grass beneath your feet. Hot to the touch, each lyric creates a spark within you, burning you up from the inside out, filling you with strength and power. The flicker between English and Arabic fans the flames of Mathlouthi’s message, and as the album reaches its final track, the white light is still so bright before you.
When listening, the power in each track attracts you, but as the album continues, it begins to turn you off. The impact becomes lost, as the flames rose high early on, so can’t exceed any limits. The wait for a new spark to ignite something in you becomes lost, and the smoke that rises begins to linger and eventually fills your lungs and you start to choke. Although a beautiful sight, you can’t stay too long, or you’ll get burnt.
Haiku Review:
Fire burns around you,
But you aren’t gasping for air:
You’re loving the smoke.
Listen to Emel Mathlouthi on Spotify and Apple Music.
