For fans of Bjork, Virusse, Qur’an Shaheed, post-rock-adjacent electronica, and the hero’s journey as something that happens entirely inside one’s own mind, Dja Dja by Marina Herlop follows a harrowing quest to attain a radiant lust for life, a path characterized by the constant conflict between dark electronica and the human form. Tightly sequenced melodies and huge swooping bass construct the setting of this adventure, tracing the massive peaks and troughs of the subconscious as our protagonist presses on. This main character enters by way of angelically delivered neoclassical vocals, a constant upward push on the aesthetic as we witness this frantic clawing towards optimism and self-perpetuating positivity. By winning this internal fight, the world becomes a significantly less threatening place, one which opens up to us just as we find ourselves more easily belonging in its grasp.
