PREMIERE: ABU - ONE DAY
by J. Simpson
3/28/19
The Switzerland singer/songwriter Abu dreams of better days on "One Day.”
Modern life is confusing. On one hand, we've got more opportunities than ever before, thanks to living in an interconnected world. We are surrounded by options and choices. The problem is, so many of the choices just aren't appealing.
It's like the forces of darkness are trying to smash down the light, introducing friction whenever some steps towards fairness and equality are achieved. We have more opportunities, more resources, more information, and more community than any other time in history. But rising inflation, income equality, climate change, and social unrest rise right along with it. It's easy to feel like we're not getting anywhere, like we're running in circles, at best, or drowning beneath the quagmire, at worst.
This is the world Bern, Sweden's Abu explores on his powerful new single, "One Day." While it's not clear if Abu is speaking of social issues or dressing up personal matters in political language, the end result is the same. It's all about navigating the minefields and pitfalls of modern life and love, remembering and dreaming of open skies.
ABU - ONE DAY
"Hold my hand/hold my little hand/it's getting cold/in the darkness of a No Man's Land," sings Abu, in a rich, warm brogue. Abu's voice has a rustic, Americana-like quality, which gives an earth feeling to "One Day," but the music is all-too-current. Powerful, cannon-like beats reinforce the martial feeling, while also giving some heat and passion, tethering Abu's soaring emotions and sentiments to the Earth.
"One Day" is produced by legendary producer Ben Mühlethaler, who worked with Prince previously when His Paisleyness was still with us. It's a good fit, as Abu's music has a similar blend of passion and pop, artfulness and infectiousness. Concept and heart come together in Mühlethaler's production, showing Abu's strengths as a songwriter and musician in its best possible light.
Along the way, Abu reclaims the shoutalong gang vocal chorus, so defiled by sub-par millennial emo. So perhaps the clouds are shifting after all. A new day is at hand!
Abu reminds us to remember a life without shackles. A life where love, friendship, and real connection are possible. We Are: The Guard remember those days. We are holding a beacon, waiting for their return. We're ready for it!
“One Day" is the first official international release and as Abu cooks up another single he’s planning on touring the UK in September and US end of the year.
For more on Abu follow him here:
J. Simpson occupies the intersection between criticism, creativity, and academia. Based out of Portland, Or., he is the author of Forestpunk, an online journal/brand studying the traces of horror, supernatural, and the occult through music, fashion and culture. He plays in the dreamfolk band Meta-Pinnacle with his partner Lily H. Valentine, with whom he also co-founded Bitstar Productions, a visual arts collective focused on elevating Pop Culture to High Art.