Sylken Somers – Prone

Artist: Sylken Somers
Title: Prone
Keywords: alternative alternative pop bermuda d.i.y. found sounds melodica new blues nu-jazz queer singer-songwriter United Kingdom WITCHFORK

‘Sylken Somers’ naturally makes me think of ‘silken summers’ which make me think of swimming in the sea, kicking the sheets of water and sliding through the resistance. Ahhhhh…. what pleasure! And when I add ‘Prone’ to the image, I can picture myself laying face-down on a lilo (by this I mean one of those things you blow up) – preferably a nice pink one. I am floating in a salt water pool, drifting in and out of consciousness… Someone please press play for me! I can’t reach the stereo!

There is a rustle as ‘Tenderhead Tenderheart’ starts and now a sweet pulsing and the beautiful voice of Sylken Somers drifts into my blissed-out world. There is a pause, a rustle (or is it the trickle of water?) and I feel as if I could wait forever for the song to start again. The break was so short, less than a second or so, but it held me spellbound and on edge. Now, completely wide awake, I paddle my way to the edge of the pool to crank up this slice of aural paradise. Surely it can go louder than 10?!

‘Robots’ is next up, peppered with clanking and metallic strikes that raise the hairs inside my ears. There is more of those idyllic watery rustling sounds, a distant rumble of thunder. The sky is getting darker, reflecting Sylken’s tone of voice – the heavens are clearly theirs to command!

The skies open up and an iridescent rain tumbles down upon me as ‘Wringing My Hands’ plays. It is as if there are wind-up music boxes being played, the kind you get in those old-fashioned jewelry boxes with the ballerinas that go round. There’s a sizzle riding the hypnotic beat and percussion that is slithering around, I’m unable to pin it down to one place. The rain has stopped and the sun peaks out, bathing me in warmth as the song wraps its tendrils around me. It is squeezing me dry, grazing my skin with a scratchy towel, the album ends and I am left raw, and definitely wanting more!

Luckily for me (and you!) Sylken Somers will be releasing something else on the sublime Grimalkin Records before too long, so keep your ears peeled for that! And in the meantime whet your appetite here:

https://sylkensomers.bandcamp.com/album/prone

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