In this recent release, paradiis paints the heaviest feelings with the brightest colours. From the album art we see a development in the picture that the mysterious artist has painted for listeners. This latest EP, ‘i see birds’ handles heavy subject material with instrumentals that take the weight off. With a folk-based, rock infused sound, this project tells a rather simple emotional story with an instrumental complexity that takes the listener through a journey.
From the onset, it would seem that the album art plays into the story: a flock of birds crosses a blue sky filtered through an array of bright pinks, blues and purples. They fly past some steel power structures whose wires are barely visible. This feels like a direct follow up from the work on their debut EP, ‘the flowers bloom in august’, released in 2024, in which they say “Welcome to paradise”; a motif that seems to be the artist’s personal tag as it features at the closing of this project too.
Track 1 on the record, ‘shush’ is the beginning of the rose tinted picture. Two lovers dance until it hurts, and find solace in each other. The singer knows nothing will come out of it but these fleeting moments of catharsis; but it’s fine. We’ll dance to the tune of the guitar while the sirens beckoning from reality blare. It’s hard not to draw such vivid mental pictures when the lyrics are so raw and straightforward.
This track is one that hides its incredibly vulnerable message behind a tune that’s easy to hum and sing along to. The guitar in the pre-chorus sounds like it’s being plucked more than it is being played; and that’s just it isn’t it? The song not only makes for a wonderful listening experience, but adds to a much larger conversation around visibility. Why is it that we hide our true feelings behind pretty chords? Why do we ignore the smoke and mirrors for the sake of momentary pleasure?
Next on the project was the track ‘all this time’. It starts with heavy drums, cymbals and a somber violin in the back. It follows perfectly both lyrically and sonically from the opening track. The opening words “Cover my eyes with both your hands” and the closing “Why would you try to change?” speak to what the singer knows to be their own voluntary oblivion. With or without the hands over their eyes, they’ll pretend they don’t see that this won’t last long. paradiis offers no answers to what to do. there is no single answer to give when someone knows the truth but is still choosing to disregard their own intuition.
The track “birds” stands out for its voiceover intro. As mentioned earlier, the album art highlights the birds, that are white, through a kaleidoscope of colours. This track does the same for the ears. At this point in the project, the closing, the guitar no longer sounds like it’s being forced to make a pretty sound. The singer realises there is no amount of lying to self that will make reality of a situation be anything other than what it is.
This track diverges from the others with its heavy electronic breakdown. This kind of distorted, almost discombobulating sound along with a melody that remains constant in the background encapsulates a moment of realisation: “I let myself down again, I can’t keep things in my hands… I cannot force it.”
Throughout the EP, paradiis plays on the metaphor of a romantic interest, painting your view with their actions-Something that many young people end up grappling with and learning to navigate while finding love. They dance with you and caress your face sweetly, leaving traces of their existence on your physical body and you’re left to draw on memory to affirm their place in your life. This paired with the rather powerful imagery of the album art tell a story that can be put in other words: when you see birds of paradise, you won’t need convincing that that’s exactly where you are.
