Opening track ‘Ceylon’ slides open from crackling, glitchy beats and elegant piano into one of this album’s strongest downbeat moments, a tangible hiphop pulse wandering its way beneath echoing electronics, synthetic bass and a hint of feathery flamenco guitar fretwork, as Madita’s spectacular voice rings out, under and through the lush elements in a manner that suggests G-Stone sent soaring into vocal territory. One particular strength that has to be mentioned that really adds to this record is the fact that Madita has the confidence to sing in her own ‘voice’, and while her stylings certainly indicate a familiarity with the likes of Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holliday and Bjork, the delivery here sits worlds apart from the legions of similar nu-jazz tinged vocalists subsumed by their influences to near-pastiche level. ‘Monotony’ swings with buzzing synthetic basslines making their way alongside jazzy pianos and samba-infused live drum rhythms as Madita purrs, scats and howls over the fluid live beats in a manner that suggests a particularly smoky jazz club, while ‘Mood’ descends into swooning downbeat soul, Madita’s smooth multitracked vocals battling for space with a stinging retro guitar solo over glimmering Philly Strings-tinged synthetic textures and fluid jazzy piano runs.
‘Has To Be’ tosses in some spooky distant theremin howls amidst flurries of sampled orchestration and wandering live drums that call to mind an Ennio Morricone score, whilst also featuring the most surreal, yet emotively sung lyric on offer here ("sometimes my leg hurts me"), before ‘To The Moon And Back’ brings the glitchy electronics back to the forefront, Madita’s vocals gliding alongside airy accordians as Dzihan gets complex with the broken-beat programming, sending tumbling synthetic bleeps and stuttering hi-hats echoing through the mix. The spectral, brooding ‘Pushing’ layers vast sweeping movie score orchestration beneath crashing live drums and epic cello swells as Madita’s delicate yearning vocal beautifully counterpoints the lush instrumental atmospheres, angular double-bass runs peaking through as track builds into a flaming crescendo of crashing cymbals, while ‘June’ pares things down to just a minimal fluttering electronic pulse, elegant pianos and muted horns slowly swirling in a manner that calls to mind Bjork’s ‘Vespertine’ album as Madita’s delayed-out vocals ring out over the discrete rhythms. Finally, ‘Intime’ closes proceedings on a downtempo jazz-samba tinged note, flowing live piano runs sliding back and forth as a disco-funk bassline makes its way beneath twinkling xylophones and Brazilian percussion, Madita’s latin-meets-Euro vocal inflections calling to mind Bebel Gilberto.
Easily one of the most capable and consistently interesting releases in the female vocal soul / nujazz vein that I’ve encountered so far this year, this self-titled debut from Madita maintains the high standards already set by Couch’s backcatalogue and also captures the fusion of Dzihan’s production prowess and Madita’s considerable vocal abilities in a fashion that meshes beautifully, with not a duff moment on offer here. Fans of Dzihan & Kamien will definitely want to pick this up – and those into the likes of Alice Russell, Hanne Hukkelberg and Bebel Gilberto should definitely investigate Madita.
Madita - [2008] - Too
Part swing, part jazz and always a bit electronic, Madita's latest offering is rich in sound and beauty. The songs may be too playful for some and too frenetic for others, but for those with a sweet spot for something both eccentric and electric, Madita's latest release should not be missed. The album is available on iTunes, or at a slightly higher price for the physical release from her official Web site.
source:
http://www.couchrecords.com/
http://www.madita.com/
http://kortlink.dk/thejusticeonline/4taw
http://www.alwaysontherun.net/madita.htm
Fragile
Madita Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The top of
The deep down that
Toes touch
Fragile and strong
Caught up
On these spots
Your shots
Fragile and strong
Still I will miss some
Underground wisdom
Still I will miss some
Worms in my bed
Still I will miss some
Silence with no stop
Never have kissed someone
Fragile and strong
Soft slush
And raindrops
Trickle into
Dust
Fragile and strong
Warms up
On these spots
Let them be
Your shots
Fragile and strong
Still I will miss some
Underground wisdom
Still I will miss some
Worms in my bed
Still I will miss some
Silence with no stop
Never have kissed someone
Fragile and strong
So strong
Fragile and so strong
So long
Fragile and so strong
Still I will miss some
Underground wisdom
Still I will miss some
Worms in my bed
Still I will miss some
Silence with no stop
Never have kissed someone
Fragile and strong
Fragile and strong
Strong
Still I will be long
Fragile and so strong
The song "Fragile" by Madita is an intriguing piece that captures the essence of the human experience - a delicate balance between vulnerability and strength. The song's lyrics are simple yet profound, and they invite the listener to reflect on their own journey through life. The first verse sets the tone for the rest of the song, as Madita sings about crawling on the top of the deep down, reminding us that even in our strongest moments, we are still fragile. The line, "Let them be your shots," is particularly poignant, as it suggests that we should use our vulnerabilities as a source of strength, rather than trying to hide them.
The second verse continues with this theme, as Madita sings about being caught up on certain spots in our lives, and again encourages us to let them be "our shots." The third verse is particularly poignant, as it speaks to the missed opportunities and experiences that we all inevitably encounter in life. Madita sings of missing out on "underground wisdom," "worms in my bed," and "never have kissed someone," highlighting the importance of living life fully and embracing all of its experiences, both positive and negative.
The chorus of the song is a powerful reminder of our inherent strength, despite our fragility. Madita sings "so strong," emphasizing the resilience of the human spirit, but adds "fragile and so strong," reminding us that our strength is often tested by our vulnerabilities. The repeated line "still I will miss some" in the chorus serves as a haunting reminder of the fleeting nature of life and the importance of living in the present moment.
Line by Line Meaning
Crawl on
Keep moving forward, even when it's difficult and uncomfortable
The top of
The highest point or goal to reach
The deep down that
The innermost parts of oneself or a situation that need to be explored and understood
Toes touch
Being fully present in the moment and appreciating the small things
Fragile and strong
Simultaneously delicate and resilient
Caught up
Being fully immersed in a certain place or state of mind
On these spots
In certain specific areas or moments
Let them be
Allowing certain aspects of oneself or a situation to exist without trying to change them
Your shots
Taking action and taking your best shot, even if it's imperfect
Still I will miss some
Even though I am trying my best, I know I can't experience every aspect of life
Underground wisdom
Knowledge and understanding gained from difficult and hidden experiences
Worms in my bed
Unexpected and uncomfortable experiences that still have value and meaning
Silence with no stop
Peaceful moments that feel endless and necessary for reflection
Never have kissed someone
Having experienced certain things, but still not having experienced everything
Soft slush
Gentle and soothing sounds and sensations
And raindrops
The beauty of nature and the cycle of life and renewal
Trickle into
Slowly and steadily become a part of
Dust
The inevitability of impermanence and the need to appreciate what we have while we have it
Warms up
Becomes more comfortable and inviting
So strong
Even though we are fragile, we can still be powerful, resilient, and capable
So long
Despite the inevitability of change and loss, we can still be strong and find meaning and purpose
Still I will be long
Even though I know everything is temporary, I will continue to strive and exist, finding strength in my fragility.
Contributed by Declan E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.