Lately, I have been enjoying the track “Nuclear Brandy” by emerging artist Malory. The South London singer-songwriter’s otherworldy, alternative pop sound traverses along the same lines as the brilliant Tori Amos, or from more recent times Bat For Lashes / Grimes in that it’s spiked, with quirkiness and an eclectic feel. Malory Torr is the kind of creator who has a playfulness to her lyrical style and is careful to not over sugar her intelligent narratives ensuring they are distinct, witty and astute of thought. After many years gigging as an indie-folk singer throughout London, the South African born songstress has become bolder and armed with confidence which shines through on her latest work. She’s grown under the influence of her idol Regina Spektor, similarly peppering her songs with funny little eccentricities while retaining a glistening streak of, versatile storytelling.
The electronic element of “Nuclear Brandy” is quite skittish. It hammers beats in a rhythm which is almost percussive, allowing Malory’s witchy, beguiling vocals to carry a melody dripping in otherworldliness on her own. The track isn’t your normal kind of pop fluff, and neither is the theme behind it so, here’s a quote from Malory giving a bit of insight on the song: “A story of Cold War paranoia shot in a real nuclear bunker, it’s a CCTV glimpse into the story of two lovers trapped in an apocalyptic dystopia. We were inspired by ‘Lars and the Real Girl’ and ‘Blast from the Past’ but wanted to put our own spin on things. Our female protagonist has been locked up in the bunker for years way into the future (hence the spacesuit,) and her ‘lover’ has been trapped in a zombie-like coma She’s going crazy stuck underground and is lonely without him. Finally, she manages to perfect her experimental Nuclear Brandy potion, transporting them back to the 50’s and bringing him to life! We wanted it to be trippy, playful and dreamlike to compliment the song’s production as well as the dark irony of the lyrics.”
There is a stylistic element to the cheeky and twisted song which is as hypnotic as it is hauntingly addictive, the dark lyrics speak with a punch like an iron fist in a velvet glove. “Nuclear Brandy” is an alluring alt-pop gem, with Malory pushing all sides of her talent to somewhere new and strangely inviting.
Connect with Malory
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maloryofficial/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/maloryofficial
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maloryofficial/