Altai is the musical collaboration between vocalist & multi-instrumentalist Tessa Collins and drummer Andrew Wilkinson. Their new single ‘Brawl’ features Tessa on guitar, bass, vocals, synth, AND drums. Impressive!
Brawl starts with a few bars of muted guitar before the drums appear – and there are clear hints of 80’s indie & dream-pop here. This sounds like it could be a long-lost classic from The Cure or The Smiths.
I loved the transition from intro to verse – the track really closes in and makes you focus on that vocal, which is beautifully full and warm. It fills and commands the track perfectly, without ever being overwhelming.
The evocative opening line sets the scene well in only a few words: “And you run away, with your hands in the air and another mark of hate on your face”.
The track explores the complexities of masculinity, and how society’s expectations of men can lead them down destructive paths. The relatively succinct lyrics convey this really cleverly, and as the song progresses, it feels like we’re on an unstoppable journey.
Despite the hard-hitting subject matter, the melody (and, in fact, the whole song) is light and airy, and wonderfully catchy. A cool contrast.
The simple synth melody of the chorus feels like another nod to the best of 80’s indie, and brings the whole track together nicely.
Our focus narrows at the bridge, as things are stripped back. Tessa sings: “And all you wanna hear is everyone to say you were right. Why’d you have to be so rough? Why’d you have to be so tough?”
By now, though, it feels like it’s too late. Indeed, the song ends with “Take you away, Take you away”.
Brawl is one of those rare tracks that has it all – a thought-provoking tale, with a lush sound full of beautiful melodic moments.
Written by Grubby
