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.
Minds
Chinah Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Deep down, I know my words are all the same
If we do it all later, we will forget
Small things we gain can never grow again
But, you never seem to make up your mind, boy
But, you never seem to make up your mind, your mind
Say you're never gonna find it, a better view
Well, now, desire's all I want from you
Slow games come easy, we don't walk around
But, you never seem to make up your mind, boy
But, you never seem to make up to your mind, your mind
But, you never seem to make up your mind, boy
But, you never seem to make up your mind, boy
But, you never seem to make up your mind, your mind
But, you never seem to make up your mind, boy
But, you never seem to make up your mind, your mind
How can we bring all this in
Now, we don't know how to keep up
Always don't know what to say
Always feeling 'fraid to say stop
And we never give, and we never give up
But, you never seem to make up your mind, boy
But, you never seem to make up your mind, your mind
But, you never seem to make up your mind, boy
But, you never seem to make up your mind, your mind
How can we bring all this in
Now, we don't know how to keep up
Always don't know what to say
Always feeling 'fraid to say stop
And we never give, and we never give,
And we never give up
And we never give, and we never give,
And we never give up
The Chinah song "Minds" reflects on the idea of indecision, uncertainty, and missed opportunities. The lyrics suggest that if they, as a group, can't make up their minds, they will miss out on the little things that matter and ultimately, they'll end up feeling stuck. The lines "If we do it all later, we will forget, small things we gain can never grow again" emphasize that by not making decisions, they are letting go of the tiny moments that add up and make a big difference in life. The repetition of "But, you never seem to make up your mind, boy" and "Always feeling 'fraid to say stop" implies that they're either afraid or uninterested in committing to something.
Further on, Chinah's use of a metaphor, "our minds all painted bright," means that they have ideas and plans that they haven't yet acted upon or seen through to their full potential. The chorus, "How can we bring all this in, now we don't know how to keep up, always don't know what to say, always feeling 'fraid to say stop" conveys the confusion that follows decision making and not knowing how to keep up the pace.
Overall, "Minds" by Chinah is a poignant exploration of one's reluctance to make decisions and the fear of missing out as a result. The song also speaks to the regret and frustration that can come from indecisiveness.
Line by Line Meaning
If we're never gonna feel this, we can't pretend
If we're not emotionally invested in this, we can't pretend that we are.
Deep down, I know my words are all the same
In my heart, I know that I keep repeating myself and not making any progress.
If we do it all later, we will forget
If we keep delaying things, we will eventually forget about them.
Small things we gain can never grow again
Little victories can't be turned into bigger ones once they've been achieved.
But, you never seem to make up your mind, boy
You always seem indecisive, my dear.
Say you're never gonna find it, a better view
You claim that you won't find a better perspective than the one you already have.
Well, now, desire's all I want from you
Right now, all I desire from you is dedication and focus.
These our own minds, all painted bright
Our own thoughts are all painted with bright colors (perhaps optimistic thoughts).
Slow games come easy, we don't walk around
Taking things slowly comes naturally to us; we don't rush around.
How can we bring all this in
How can we process and understand all of this?
Now, we don't know how to keep up
We're not sure how to maintain our current pace and momentum.
Always don't know what to say
We often find ourselves at a loss for words.
Always feeling 'fraid to say stop
We're always afraid to speak up and say when we need things to stop.
And we never give, and we never give up
We're persistent and don't give up easily.
But, you never seem to make up your mind, boy
You always seem indecisive, my dear.
And we never give, and we never give,
We keep pushing on and don't give up.
And we never give up
We don't give up, no matter what.
But, you never seem to make up your mind, boy
You always seem indecisive, my dear.
And we never give, and we never give,
We keep pushing on and don't give up.
And we never give up
We don't give up, no matter what.
Contributed by Isaac P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.