JYLDA with Classical composer Marino Arcaro give birth to the deceptively alluring "Guard"

AP Track Review

Jylda is the alter musical ego of Italian German Gianna Gehlhar and her collab with Brazilian classical composer Marino Arcaro has given birth to a transformative, beautifully divergent Guard. It exists in some dreamy otherworldly bar lounge favoring deep cascading bent piano triads painted darkly in major and minor ways with pushes into flat 7th or 11th notes and, while my ear may lie, the dissonance coupled with Gehlhars' expressionistic vox is so incredibly beautiful. The combination of sounds and notes creates a dynamic tension and it is deceptively alluring. Gehlhar's vocal performance is so interesting as well. Her aesthetic holds tones in the back of her voice (I swear I hear harmonic micro tones) and, as she smoothly raises the notes up and out, the tonal transition is truly captivating. While the track feels very organic, midway it pushes surprisingly into electro indie avant garde places as the production twists the vox with alien like effects. This artistic device absolutely works, pushing the song into a surreal plane, creating tension. Then Arcaro's shifting piano phrasings, dramatic and sinful is at center stage creating a dark manifesto, a daring dive further into the rabbit hole. When the song ends, I finally start breathing again and then push replay.

-Robb Donker




THE FACTS AS WE KNOW THEM - PRESS NOTES:

'’The storming synth-pop artist has a unique voice, matching her lyrical prowess to a brooding digital template’  CLASH

'Darkly sultry dance pop bliss'  FAME Magazine

'Ms Gehlhar’s voice is seductive and commanding and her vocal dexterity reigns with ease over the quasi-industrial, electro sound of dark percussion, pulsating drums and striking synths.'  Little Indie

'A Lynchian Affair'  Lodown Magazine

Jylda is Italian-German Gianna Gehlhar's musical alter ego. After releasing her debut EP Twitch earlier this year, she is now back with Guard, a collaborative track with Brazilian classical composer Marino Arcaro.

Jylda's voice finds a playful connection with sensuality and rhythm. It all revolves around the pop song, but with a darkness reminiscent of FKA Twigs, Grimes and Lykke Li. Jylda's operatic roots give her voice a unique captivating siren-like intensity, drawing you into her enchanting world. In the past year, Jylda has been playing headline shows around the UK and has supported Zola Jesus, Lydmor, Wyvern Lingo and Drones Club and released singles with Hugh, Artificial Pleasure and Kirk Spencer.