Review Summary: I don’t really / have the words that could describe how / Sun is strolling in the morning / on the surface of a lake
Back in 2019, Stepan Burban, one half of an independent Ukrainian rap duo Chapter 94, changed his pseudonym from Coughing Ed to Palindrom, and promptly released his first album under this new moniker. The aim was to create a more lighthearted album and try to switch to singing, without abandoning rapping altogether. The resulting record was hailed by Ukrainian musical critics as a complete reinvention in comparison to the artist’s previous work, but it really was not. He released a solo album under his old pseudonym just one year before this one, and while the beats there were more guitar-based, whereas here the focus is more on trip-hop and new wave stylings, the music of both records has similar airy, flowing feeling to it, and the core sound remains intact. Where both records differ drastically is in their overall mood and presentation of the topics at hand. As Coughing Ed, the artist focused more on socio-political commentary, and even when he talked about personal matters the lyrics remained resolutely dark. In fact, that was when things took the darkest turn, whether it was an honest disclosure of Stepan’s struggles to refrain from being violent towards his ex-girlfriend or his desperate recount of the way his mother gradually succumbed to depression with him feeling desperate and helpless.
This time, however, the aim was to create a warmer, purposefully nostalgic album with lyrics focused on observations of nature and childhood memories. Even the cover depicts “Lorta” house of culture, a landmark of Lviv, frequently visited by Palindrom as a kid together with his grandmother to whose memory this album is dedicated. The record also has distinctly lo-fi and improvised mood, as it was created in the spur of the moment over just a couple of weeks and recorded in the artist’s home studio. As such, the album is filled with fresh and light-headed beats compiled into a set of brief yet varied songs. The very first song “All Day” gives you a good understanding of what the album is about, as it opens with a sample from an old radio broadcast and proceeds with Palindrom half-singing half-rapping about the joy of being a kid. The opener is also a good example of the album’s variety. It is based around a rather simple bass loop, but soon it is joined by some very nice flute and saxophone samples, while later some vaguely ominous synths are also added, providing a bit of colder undertone to the song.
For all its ad hoc nature and short runtime, the album does not feel rushed or undercooked. I think, the key factor here is Palindrom having a singular vision of what he wanted to achieve but not focusing on one particular sound or mood. For every song about admiring urban nature or eagerly waiting for the spring there is a counterpoint, such as the harsh vocals of “In a Coma” chorus (song No.5 on the album), pulsating synths of “Beyond the Skies” (song No.9), or the driving and moody “Mean” (song No.3):
Today, I am mean
I’m mean
And darkened clouds are my perfect décor
Today I am mean
I’m mean
Snow that fell somewhere in the midst of a war
Another important thing is that even the “lighter” songs don’t feel placid or toothless. For one thing, the music always retains some bite with the rhythm section providing a bit of urgency even to the softest tracks. This is not really the music for quiet reflection and navel-gazing. Instead, it fits perfectly for a walk or a jog in the park, especially in the early autumn or spring, not observing nature from a distance, but embracing the fresh air, the pleasant chill, the quiet warmth, and the trees which are only starting to regrow their leaves or are preparing to shed them.
The lyrics also play their part here, as Palindrom never loses his slightly sarcastic touch, at the same time finding an unexpected angle to look at each topic he explores in his lyrics. For example, “Autumn” is written from the viewpoint of a small houseplant that observes autumn from the window and wonders why the leaves of the trees and bushes it sees outside change their colors and fall from the branches, while its own leaves remain green throughout the year. The socially conscious topics are not abandoned altogether as well. For instance, “Broken down” (song No.7) deals with us being responsible for the state of the environment:
Broken down
You stitched them with the clouds
Rivers broken down, water turning green
Mountains broken down
And teary-eyed
Wish something bad to me
I’m the one who broke them down
All this is compiled into a neat and well-sequenced package of songs. The one issue that I have with the album is that a lot of the songs here are just snapshots with a single verse and a chorus repeated a couple of times. This is probably what Palindrom wanted, given the circumstances in which the album was written and produced, but sometimes I can’t help but feel that some songs would benefit from being extended a little, especially the ones that happen to be my favorites. One other thing is that the lyrics are important, but most of you guys don’t understand Ukrainian of course. That’s why I translated some some snippets into English, which is obviously not enough. So, I don’t really know how much impact or staying power the album retains if you don’t understand the lyrics, but you’re welcome to try it out in any case.
