The chill escapist politico greased dream "Custom Pope" by No Ninja Am I, the semi-solo project of Amsterdam based singer-songwriter / multi-instrumentalist Sander Van Munster, is a beautiful multi-layered mirror, maybe a carnival mirror that softens the harsh realities of life. The patterned guitars alone are hypnotic, the bass / drums dance are a sophisticated come on and in conjunction with the lounge pop-esque electric piano keys and Sander's sort of jazz pop croon this feels like a lost 70's Steely Dan track if Harry Nilssen was the guest vocalist.
Like the proverbial rabbit hole, the more times you listen the farther you fall. The feeling is wonderfully easy and surreal but the song is informed by the darker concepts and seemingly uncomfortable human need to follow false prophets at the cost of our own demise. As Sanders reveals:
"Written around the time Trump got elected and "what´s going on!?" was the main emotion. About how we live more and more in our own custom made world, follow our own ´custom pope´ - while listening to each other less and less.. For the ending piece, I used some words from the beginning of The Star-Spangled Banner ('O Say can you see...')"
"we check your facts, we march along. you cross the line in every song, your blue bird sings sketchy..."
In Electing Trump, an amalgam of Boris Yeltsin, Richard Nixon, Benny Hill, Harvey Weinstein and a 70's Used Car Salesman, America has become a self indulgent comic punch line. A fractured collection of the haves and the have nots grasping at straws that have holes in them. We will gain our purpose again, move back to science and talking politics over drinks as we laugh about our differences. At least I hope so but until then I will enjoy all the great songs informed by our mistake.
"Custom Pope" is the second track off of No Ninja Am I's upcoming album (spring 2022) produced by Wubbo Siegers who also played drums and Mastered by Darius Van Helfteren. All other instruments and vocals by Sander Van Munster.
-Robb Donker Curtius
THE FACTS AS WE KNOW THEM - PRESS NOTES:
http://noninjaami.com/
https://www.facebook.com/NoNinjaAmI
https://twitter.com/noninjaami
https://open.spotify.com/artist/2xasejacdTHBvIdEiEGF7D
https://noninjaami.bandcamp.com/track/custom-pope
No Ninja Am I is the semi-solo-project of Amsterdam based songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Sander van Munster. Influenced by albums like McCartney I, Odelay (Beck) and Everyday Robots (Damon Albarn), he writes songs in the genres of indie-pop, -folk and -tronica.
No Ninja Am I is the semi-solo-project of Amsterdam based songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Sander van Munster. Influenced by albums like McCartney I, Odelay (Beck) and Everyday Robots (Damon Albarn), he writes songs in the genres of indie-pop, -folk and -tronica.
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indie pop, No Ninja Am I, lo-fi rock, dream pop, politico dream pop, Trump, false prophets, "Custom Pope", The Netherlands, History Repeats, indie pop, folk, electronica, Sander Van Munster, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist,
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