K Syran Smoke In My Veins Review

K-Syran “Smoke In My Veins” album review

By Daniel C. Morrison

INTRO TaKEN FROM BIO

K-Syran’s new album Smoke In My Veins features influences of jazz, hard rock, pop and classical music. Another distinctive quality of her songs is combining catchy, life-affirming dance tunes with an important message. In 2016, her song Intimacy was declared the official anthem of the United Nations International Women’s Day. K-Syran’s involvement in women’s rights has also found an outlet in theatre. Her play, Breaking the Silence: Monologues on Gender, Voice and Violence, was presented at the United Nations New York lecture series on women, peace and security, and was subsequently nominated Best Play at the London Summit to End Sexual Violence In Conflict, organized by Angelina Jolie and William Hague.

After three top 10 hits on the European dance charts, K-Syran, is bringing her unique blend of dance-pop to the United States. Her new single, Hello, is #38 on the BDS/Billboard Charts.

International singer/songwriter and activist K-Syran’s new album Smoke In My Veins, was released August 8, 2016 on Intimacy Records. The recording contains 12 brand-new tracks and features “Intimacy,” a hit song selected as the anthem for the 2016 United Nation’s International Women’s Day. The first single of the new album, “Hello,” hit pop radio stations in the USA on June 28. “Hello,” is climbing the Billboard charts.

Known for her impressive soprano and a melodic fusion that combines elements of classical, pop, rock, jazz and techno influences, K-Syranmade waves in the European dance music world with her 2016 dance-pop single “Testify,” recorded with Sugarbabes’ star Amelle Berrabah, accompanied by a controversial video clip, featuring intimate scenes with two women. The track became one of four songs by the Norwegian-born star that reached UK Top Ten Club Chart and Billboard, making her a prominent feature on the Ibiza circuit. K-Syran’s music has also been compared to such art rock figures as Bjork or Coldplay.

K-Syran’s newest release Smoke In My Veins was recorded at Metropolis Studios and was produced by Tom Nichols (Celine Dion, Kylie Minogue) and Charlie Thomas (One Direction, Nick Mason), credited as The Secret Agents. The record includes singles “Intimacy” and “Hello” – a bouncy pop song recorded in part at the legendary Abbey Road Studios in London, known as a birthplace of classic rock albums by The Beatles, Oasis, and Pink Floyd.

The album is a collection of seductive dance tunes combined with a thought-provoking message – a fusion distinctive of K-Syran’s style. “The power and joy of song has the ability to comfort and inspire each individual. Music can offer hope when people need it most – that’s what I want to give,” says K-Syran about her new release. “I wrote some of the material on Smoke In My Veins with women in mind, but the ideas and emotions behind my songs strive to be universal. I think it’s a mistake to think that lyrics in dance music cannot deal with anything of substance. Dance was a form of spiritual activity for human beings throughout the history of our kind, a powerful form of emotional and physical expression. That’s why I want my music to give audiences music that would move their bodies while engaging their minds. ” – she further explains.

VIDEO: Snapchat-style clip for “Hello”: https://youtu.be/9ZBu9u-RCNw

K-Syran, is a singer-songwriter, actress, director, producer, and human rights activist, based in Geneva, Switzerland. Born in Norway, she embarked on musical career early on, following the footsteps of her father, a professional drummer. She has performed as a singer various ensembles, including a jazz combo and a hard rock band, throughout her youth. K-Syran’s notable musical collaborations include Sugarbabes’ Amelle Berrabah and British dance music producer and DJ Mark Loverush. Also known as Katrina Syran, she is a devoted feminist, who has a parallel career as a playwright and activist for women’s rights. In 2015, she took her play Breaking the Silence: Monologues on Gender, Voice and Violence to New York, where it was presented at the United Nations as part of a Lecture Series on women, peace and security. The play, co-written with Suzan Craig, is based on Human Rights Watch Women’s Division reports and discusses global problems that woman face. Breaking the Silence was nominated Best Play at the London Summit to End Sexual Violence In Conflict, organized by Angelina Jolie and William Hague. K-Syran received formal theater training at the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts and Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, graduating with honors and a degree in acting. Katrina has worked as an actor and director with the West End theatres and at The Young Vic, appearing in Ibsen’s Women as Nora and Voyage in the Dark as Anna. Her film credits include short film Don’t Miss the Cup, which she also produced, and recently a role in a UK TV series Head. She’s currently filming the feature film Espera, in which she has the leading role.

LET’S DIG IN!

I’m perplexed here. I’ve been listening to “Hello” for a while now which is automatically set in my memory upon first listening. It’s a very catchy song. When I’m cleaning cars, pop, there it is! When I wake up in the morning sometimes and think about how to set my mind right for a good day it comes on in. When I sit and take a dook K-Syran is right there saying “Hello, hello”. Well, that didn’t sound quite right but, moving on…

It’s apparent as the album moves on that the style will not change. K-Syran is pop influenced that picks up memories of the 80’s and treads into the waters of modern alternative. I kid you not, as I listened I was reminded of 80’s Madonna, 90’s Jesus Jones, 2000’s 30 Seconds To Mars and today’s Imagine Dragons, with a Norwegian flair. I also picked up the dance attributes but for me, the lyrics took me out of really pegging it as dance style. Here’s what I mean.

I applaud her sensibility for the human mind as far as dance being used in history as a spiritual activity and still, to this day, a powerful form of expression combining physical and emotional energies. However, the energy to move a body can be diffused if the energy behind the words strike a heavy emotional chord. I don’t see many people at a party who are already drinking and ready to dance for the hell of it and to have fun get into these lyrics and say “Hell yes, I will dance to this broken feeling” for longer than a song or two. In fact, radio stations never play many heartache songs in a row because they want the listener to stay engaged and not chance the channel because of a traumatic memory coming up. Think country music and you’ll get it.

But, there is a therapy for those who decide to dance through the pain to a point where it no longer bothers them.

This is why I am at a wonderment here. After “Hello” it seems the songs are about the joys of a strong connection with someone and then the strong disconnection. The music was so good that I could groove easily and focus on the lyrics. It was like a hypnosis for me. I detected the pain of being hurt by a lover, or perhaps people one cares about in general. It is quite evident as well as the joys of the relationship while it is strong. Then, there was searching for someone that won’t be a poor decision. Such is life though. I loved the lyrics for song and soul for to dance to? Not so much. Not for me.

As I got to the song “Intamicy” it was very well done but of the other potential hits layered throughout the album I wonder why it was chosen. Perhaps the real desire of such a close connection with someone.

The album really doesn’t offer much variety until one of my favorites play called “Skin”. This changes the tempo and is definitely a haunting track. I like the changeup and the acoustic song at the end of the album, “Broken Smile” is a nice way to round out “Smoke In My Veins”.

On one end of the shovel

I was truly moved by this songwriter. K-Syran’s vocals do a nice job with the backdrop of the great music. I did groove while I listened but I never felt much like dancing due to the powerful messages in her lyrics. They’re so real that it disengaged me from the dance groove advertised by her press release.

On the other end of the shovel

The back and forth mood of the extremeties of a lover connection and disconnection didn’t make me feel super duper in a good mood like the song “Hello” did by itself. I’m not sure I could sit and listen to this album to produce an uplifting mood but if I was a bit down thinking of past relationships I could easily have this album play.

How deep can I dig this?

Of the 12 songs on the album only one was skip worthy and about 8 of them stayed in my mind after I turned it off. Although this album is a great emotional tribute to the ups and downs one feels during strongly connected relationships, I never truly felt like dancing after the hit “Hello” was over. However, this album does a great job of having stay power and for every other reason it is fantastic! I look forward to what else this superstar will be doing in the future. This shovel digs 8 feet deep out of 10!