The dynamic duo of vocalist / songwriter Sharon “Miss Red” Stern and producer / DJ Kevin “the Bug” Martin have returned with The Four Bodies – a four-song EP of their brand of “toxic dancehall.” The two of them work so well together that it’s difficult to tell where the influence of one on the other begins or ends.
Each song represents a different universal element. “Shut In Your Head” is Earth, and its deep bass and lyrics of Red’s inner power being like a simmering volcano are evidence of this idea. “Loco” is the Fire element, and the Bug’s drums crackle like a campfire until Red’s sharp vocals turn it into a raging blaze that cannot be stopped by any conventional means.
“Don’t Text Back” (water) bubbles and rolls along like a lotus flower on a lazy river while the Bug’s dub beats cause concentric ripples across the surface and Miss Red calls to us from dark depths. The universal element of air is represented by “Prayers” – an ethereal instrumental well-suited for meditation and / or spell casting. Stern has made it known that some of the inspirations behind The Four Bodies were shamanism and witchcraft (and the EP’s cover alone tells us this), so the mystical feel of the record is prevalent throughout it.
It’s not surprising because Miss Red’s other collaborations with the Bug often sound otherworldly and are tinged with a bit (or more, depending on the song) of menace. The Four Bodies is no exception and an intriguing addition to Miss Red’s already fascinating discography.
Keep your mind open.
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