Being the daughter of a banjo player, singer Fine Glindvad grew up travelling around Europe among folk musicians. The guitarist, Simon Kjær Lauridsen, comes from the twisted-minded indie and free jazz environments. And the man behind the synths, Simon Lars Gustav Andersson, is a classically trained pianist. It sounds like an impossible combination, and not as a trio creating some of most captivating Danish pop music here and now.
Nevertheless, this is the case. On their very first single, 'Away From Me', CHINAH underline why they have stirred curiosity both home and abroad. 'Away From Me' is also the track that made the three members realize that together, they could accomplish something special.
- We have all been through a process of moving towards electronic pop and r&b from each our starting points. Being shamelessly melodic is not always well regarded where we come from, but we have been urging to play around with exactly that. So it has been very liberating for us. Still, we cannot avoid having our own edge because of our backgrounds, says Simon Lars Gustav Andersson.
These dynamics clearly shine through in 'Away From Me'. Fine Glindvad’s laidback vocal carries the track while beats and instruments build up to a climax that deliberately never arrives. CHINAH’s sense of economizing chaos finds its inspiration from various sources: Blood Orange’s courage to chase big tunes, Jai Paul’s aesthetic anarchy and James Blake clean vocals.
Every song on the EP CHINAH releases in the fall explores and elaborates this style. Another theme running through tracks like 'Never the Same', 'We Go Back' and 'You Can Walk Away From Me' is Fine Glindvad’s non-romantic poetry smoldering beneath the delicate melodies.
- The lyrics are sung from the perspective naive submission. But it feels liberating because of the light melodies. It is a path towards acceptance: ‘I can lie here and bleed for you, but that is life.’ It is almost a tribute to laying yourself down. I am forever touched by statements of eerily sincerity. That is also why I do not use much imagery. I say it just as it is, says Fine Glindvad.
These themes also hint the fragileness of the band name, CHINAH.
Throughout the spring, CHINAH has toured with acclaimed Danish band Turboweekend and played at the important Danish SPOT Festival. Following SPOT, CHINAH was named among the best new acts by both Danish music magazine Soundvenue and international festival delegates. This autumn another single and an EP will follow.
All Your Words
Chinah Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Despite the fact the colour in your eyes and me
I tried to make a change
I sleep away the colour in your eyes and me
All your words are different
I seem to forget we're different
I seem to forget all your words are different
I should've known from the start
I should've known from the start
I should've known from the start
All your words are different, I seem to forget
I should've known from the start
All your words are different
Now, your distance's mine
I search for something every time we speak unclear
Walked upon the lines
If I still get the shiver on your eyes and me
I seem to forget all your words are different
I seem to forget we're different
I seem to forget
I should've known from the start
All your words are different, I seem to forget
I should've known from the start
I should've known from the start
The lyrics of Chinah's "All Your Words" convey a sense of frustration and regret in a relationship where the two parties don't seem to understand each other. The first verse suggests a feeling of being consumed by the other person and their differences, despite the singer's attempts to change. The repetition of "the colour in your eyes and me" seems to imply a desire to blend together, but an inability to do so.
The chorus is where the song's central message is found. The singer admits that they "seem to forget we're different" and that "all your words are different." This demonstrates a lack of understanding on the part of the singer, who perhaps underestimated the challenges of dating someone with a different perspective or background. The repetition of "I should've known from the start" suggests that the singer wishes they had been more realistic about the situation from the beginning.
The second verse continues this theme of disconnect, with the singer feeling like there is distance between them and the other person. There is a sense of frustration with communication, as they "walk upon the lines" and struggle to understand each other's meaning. The singer wants to harmonize, to "get the shiver on your eyes and me," but the song ends with them still feeling like they "seem to forget."
Line by Line Meaning
Drive you through my veins
I am obsessed with you
Despite the fact the colour in your eyes and me
Even though we're not compatible
I tried to make a change
I hoped we could work things out
I sleep away the colour in your eyes and me
I try to forget about our differences
All your words are different
Our perspectives are not aligned
I seem to forget we're different
I ignore our incompatibilities
I should've known from the start
I should have realized earlier
Now, your distance's mine
I feel the distance between us
I search for something every time we speak unclear
I try to find common ground despite our communication issues
Walked upon the lines
I have tried to be flexible
If I still get the shiver on your eyes and me
I still have feelings for you
Contributed by Avery H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.