“Colourgrade” by Tirzah

A Colourless Calamity

By Mats Jacobsson

Upon hearing “Colourgrade” by Tirzah, I couldn’t help but feel alienated and confused. Throughout the album, there was a sense of chaos and incomprehensibility. This was due to the bizarre sounds in her music, although her voice did evoke a suggestive and mysterious tone. She incorporated static sounds that reminded me of old television sets as a kid. Tie that with a basic 808 beat and random phrases strewn about and you’ve gotten the gist of the album without even hearing it. So I was unimpressed. 

Only 3 songs caught my attention and merited a full listen. They were “Hivemind,” “Beating,” and “Hips.” The sound of “Hips” drew me in because she emphasized a strong melody and quaint futuristic synth. She may have had success in the rest of the album if she had centered around this motif. But who knows, maybe echo, reverb, and autotune are mainstays for Tirzah. 

This is strange because upon reading the reviews that had been written about “Colourgrade,” I learned that many critics had praised it and held it in high regard. They used words like “stunning” and “avant-garde” to describe what could be the worst album that I have ever listened to. Granted, this is her sophomore album and it has been nearly 8 years since her first album “No Romance” debuted. As much as critics praise her new sound and deviation from what pop has to offer, it’s unfamiliar and the fringe elements could intimidate potential fans.