We might be in the age of information (or disinformation, if you’re more of a cynic). Still, for every definition that you can look up on your phone and every map that you can consult when driving on a country road, you bury some of the mysteries of the world. Along with them, you kill off, inevitably, some of your natural interest in the universe.
I’ve a friend who just accompanied me on a brilliant holiday but complained all the time. They were not impressed with anything they saw or experienced. What’s the point of traveling anywhere when you can see photos at any time? What’s the point of trying anything new if somebody can describe to you exactly what it is? And you’ve accepted that this is the case; everything else is just a colossal waste of time.
Boni’s album “DIEWF” is music for people who want less clear information and more mystery. It’s for people who’d love to know that there’s more to be discovered, conquered, and experienced than what dusty books have taught us. And, if you want, you can even dance to Boni’s mysterious brand of rock-inspired, electronic-based music.
Album opener, “Mrs Ronnie,” begins with ambient noises suggesting a creaking door closing behind you, followed by a Thriller-like bass groove, and lyrics about chasing a night out on the town in and out of the bar.
“The Animal” relies even more heavily on ambiance-creating sounds, where drum machines and synths suggest an unadvised trip through the thick jungle as Boni scats and sings his way out of it.
It’s a fun record, and never more so when there’s nothing clearly guiding you toward a destination. Just like taking a country road just for the hell of it, Boni’s music can be surprising. “Piano 30” almost sounds like a Bristolian trip-hop track, “Put on a Smile” is an electronic-driven piece about having one’s heart ripped to shreds, and “Subatomic Eyeball” brings to mind 2000s Radiohead.
“DIEWF” is a pretty balanced affair, and the biggest thrills come out where you’d least expect them. “Shannon” is one of the most affecting songs on the album, and it is an instrumental that sounds like Kraftwerk writing a robotic love song.
It’s a long journey that moves you from exuberance to despair, but where does it all leave us? Boni, just like any of us, is in and out of the mysterious world of the world. One moment you’re facing all of the magic that the Universe has to offer, and the next, you’re dealing with the routines, heartaches, and disappointments. The guitar groove of “One the Phone” walks out , but if Boni is to be trusted, there’ll be more heavy trips on uncharted roads further down the line.
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