Every so often we like to take a second and remind ourselves that all things change, and it is often good and always enlightening.
Sylvan Esso, our favorite band at the moment, make change a constant. The 2 that make up the duo were both prolific folk musicians before they met. Then, “We went out for grilled cheese sandwiches and decided we should make music together,” Amelia Heath – 1/2 of Sylvan Esso– told amNewYork.
They’re making music that’s still a little folksy but with a strong dose of dance thrown in the mix. And when they perform they try to stay as far away from serious as possible. They perfectly piece together the flowery, nostalgic language of folk and Americana, with the visceral, youthful angst of pop.
“There are different vocabularies you use, but they share some elements. After all, folk is the original pop music.” Heath continued. “Mostly what we concentrate on doing is being very honest dorks during our show and letting the audience in (…) People are so surprised we’re honestly reacting to them.”
Cheers to artists like Sylvan Esso who challenge how we relate to culture and identity. We’re never going to be just one identity – we’re each walking several lines. Pick a boundary and see what it looks like on the other side today.
Did you like this piece? You may also be interested in reading about Tunisian musician, Emel Mathlouthi, whose song became the anthem of their revolution.
