Between Editors and The Bravery: Alex Nauvas’ ‘Grrr’ in a synth pop guise
With ‘Grrr’, Swiss artist Alex Nauva serves us a synth pop cocktail that leaves me with mixed feelings. The first sip is promising: fat synthesiser sounds drive the song forward and immediately remind me of post-punk from bands like Editors or The Bravery. The production is clean, and the harmonious vocals blend seamlessly into the electronic soundscape.
As I lose myself in the track's melancholy moods, I can't help but notice a slight alternative indie pop vibe that bothers me a little. It's as if Nauva is trying to combine too many genres into one song. The lyrics "The vision's clear, but you are so blind" ironically hit the nail on the head – I think the song sometimes loses itself in its own versatility.
What surprises me the most is the acoustic outro. To me, it seems like a nice gimmick that I personally could have done without. It pulls me out of the electronic sound world that Nauva has so carefully built.
Despite my reservations, I have to admit that Alex Nauva has created a song with ‘Grrr’ that definitely has potential. The fusion of 80s new wave, 2000s pop-punk urgency and shimmering 2010s indietronica is ambitious. For me, it remains to be seen whether this fusion really works or whether it overloads the song.
Listen to "Alex Nauva – Grrr" on Spotify
Listen to "Alex Nauva – Grrr" on Spotify
Listen to "Alex Nauva – Grrr" on Spotify
No, you don't seem to even remember
how you hurt all the time
And the city is what you aspire
So good luck doing fine
A reaction as cold and indifferent
It shatters in the blink of an eye
This is what you have created
Well so long and good bye
Just like a crash in front of your eyes
Believe it
To want it all, to be left behind
You cannot redeem it
The vision‘s clear, but you are so blind
Perceive it
Echoes of time, they softly remind
You cannot retrieve it
Pain is a tool you use to deceive
A trick just to serve your own lie
When's the end, what do you acheive
Well so long and good bye
Just like a crash in front of your eyes
Believe it
To want it all, to be left behind
You cannot redeem it
The vision‘s clear, but you are so blind
Perceive it
Echoes of time, they softly remind
You cannot retrieve it
(Pain, a trick, a lie, deceive me, when and why, you think, it's easy
Pain, a trick, a lie, deceive me, when and why, so long, goodbye)
