The latest album, Glass, from tAngerinecAt, the Welsh based Ukranian/English duo of Eugene Purpurovsky and Paul Chilton, is an extraordinarily mesmerising work of unadulterated alluring charm. Their extraordinary music is as engaging and beautiful as it is dark and undefinable.
Having formed in Ukraine, where non-binary Eugene, to put it mildly, had a dark and traumatic childhood and upbringing and where Cheshire born Paul (also non-binary) lived for 18 years. Follow the link below to the band’s website to read more about their roots and previous recordings.
This new album Glass is both simultaneously an unnerving and difficult but thoroughly captivating and uplifting listen, a fact that is borne out of by description of the album provided by the band, which I couldn’t put any better “”Glass” is based around Eugene’s personal experiences as a neurodivergent person, severe trauma, acute poverty and Chornobyl disaster survivor, and a queer multiethnic refugee activist from Ukraine.”
Diverse
Diversity is something that is also apparent throughout the music styles and genres that feed into the eight songs on Glass, tAngerinecAt’s influences range from electronica, punk and classical incorporating instruments such as the hurdy-gurdy to give an edge to the band’s music that makes it both unique and eerily spellbinding.
Despite the band forming in 2014, last years House of Shards single was my introduction to their music. The first time I heard the song, I was gobsmacked. I had no idea at the time what I had just listened to. All I knew is that I wanted to listen again…and again. The song was certainly up there amongst the best songs of 2021.
Affecting
The rest of the album is just as affecting, each song is a vignette of Eugene’s past experiences, with an omnipresent sound of breaking glass running as a theme throughout the songs. I can only imagine that writing and recording these songs was a cathartic experience for Eugene. To have survived the childhood traumas they have is a remarkable story, to have them then share these stories with the world in such a progressive and arresting manner is to be applauded.
Glass is set to be one of my most listened to albums of 2022. I listened to the 8 songs back to back half a dozen times at least when I first received the album. Every time I listened, I picked up a new noise, rhythm or instrument the textured layers providing the listener with music that has to be listened to front and centre with no distractions, allowing yourself to be overtaken and fully immersed in the listening experience.