Berlin based musician Soela releases her sophomore album ‘Dark Portrait’ on Scissor and Thread
Soela is the DJ and production alias of Elina Shorokhova, a hugely talented Russian-born, Berlin-based, clasically trained pianist and vocalist who has made an impressive transition over to the realm of electronic music. Having produced and released material for the likes of Kompakt, Dial, Shall Not Fade, Red Ember Records, Sushitech – her work has certainly not gone unnoticed and she now joins the ranks of NYC’s ever consistent purveyors of deeply burnt grooves Scissor & Thread.
With softness and subtlety at it’s core, ‘Dark Portrait’ is equally powerful as Shorokhova shows off her deft touch for embracing neoclassic and ambient tones, weaving them with a deft pop sensibility at moments of her choosing. All whist keeping elements of dub and deep house that makes her music so irresistible.
A follow up to her 2020 debut LP on Dial, ‘Dark Portrait’ is typically understated and melancholic, flitting between the lighter edges of sultry grooves and sun kissed ambience that sets the tone across the 9 tracks that make up her journey. Produced after the war in Ukraine started (she’s from Novocherkassk, a small town in Russia close to Ukrainian border), feeling betrayed by her country and the horror and cruelty. She found herself blocked and couldn’t write music for a period. However, drawn to start playing the piano again, she was able to find a familiar sense of relief and comfort and describes music being one of her main salvations:
“I was dealing with some very complex feelings, so I came up with this album, which helped me not to despair, to work on myself, to grow internally, and to start listening to myself. It helped me to keep sane when my country invaded Ukraine with a full scale war. It absolutely broke my heart…”
The complex mix of emotions plays out across the album, opening with the wistful tones of ‘Unsuitable,’ a track steeped in melancholia: evoking the lighter edges of trip-hop, with an introspective undertone that is equally reminiscent of Boards of Canada. As she navigates the complex emotions stirred up, emotional intensity flows through tracks like ‘Through the Windows’ (featuring Francis Harris and Philipp Priebe) and ‘Drowning’ (with Module One), where the mix intricate beats and wavering ambient textures intertwine.
Title track ‘Dark Portrait,’ entwines dubby rhythm and effects with harmonic melody, while she demonstrates her ear for details with skittered beats and warm soundscapes on ‘Lost In The Fog’. Her collaboration with Dial label boss Lawrence ‘February Is Not Going To Be Forever’ brings a touch of dance floor energy to the moment, but does not not settle for long as she finds a new sense of calm in the embrace of ‘Spirits’.
Almost leaving the best till last, lead single, ‘Even If I Ask You Stay’ showcases her poignant vocal delivery amid a lush stringed arrangement, addressing themes of escape and healing. Concluding the album concludes with ‘The Darkest Hour Before Sunrise,’ a piece woven around blending subdued keys and strings to help usher in a sense of renewal. ‘Dark Portrait’ is a deeply personal and powerful album, rich with musicality and emotional insight: offering both solace and inspiration in these darkest of times.
