The Birthday Letters' hybrid pop chrysalis of "My Kronstadt" from the "Human Beauty" album

"like a clarion of souls"

My Kronstadt from The Birthday Letters' just released alt folk album "Human Beauty" (dropped yesterday, June 19th) is a sonic surprise. From the sort of alien horn synth sounds to the anti pop divergent hybrid sound that pulsates on a runaway eclipsing drum beat to London based singer songwriter Joseph Hughes' poetic and oddly dreamy song narrative that was inspired by Soviet gulag survivor accounts, the song is an interesting amalgam of sonic textures and emotional draws. Of the song Hughes writes:

The song is inspired by reading Soviet gulag survivor accounts, so a nice light topic, but I became really interested in the behavioural psychology of people at the time. I don’t think think the paranoia, corruption and brutality was unique to the Soviet Union, but that time period was an interesting aesthetic frame to put the idea inside for the song. The words are written from the perspective of a revolutionary who is intoxicated by the draws of power. I think it’s a pretty familiar story. In don’t think that’s an admirable position, but I think if we are honest there’s a little bit of the protagonist in all of us, however uncomfortable that may be to admit. That’s Jung’s ‘shadow’ that the song refers to.

In the end, My Kronstadt is a wonderfully rendered piece of art. Hughes' vocal aesthetic reminds me a bit of a blending of Death Cab's Ben Gibbard and Depeche Mode's Dave Gahan which is meant as a supreme compliment. Awww, nice to have musical gems like this to marvel in. 

The Birthday Letters is the musical project / moniker of  London based singer, songwriter, musician, Joseph Hughes.

-Robb Donker Curtius




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My Kronstadt

The song is inspired by reading Soviet gulag survivor accounts, so a nice light topic, but I became really interested in the behavioural psychology of people at the time. I don’t think think the paranoia, corruption and brutality was unique to the Soviet Union, but that time period was an interesting aesthetic frame to put the idea inside for the song. The words are written from the perspective of a revolutionary who is intoxicated by the draws of power. I think it’s a pretty familiar story. In don’t think that’s an admirable position, but I think if we are honest there’s a little bit of the protagonist in all of us, however uncomfortable that may be to admit. That’s Jung’s ‘shadow’ that the song refers to.