Producer, occasional vocalist, and DJ Nina Kraviz hails from Irkutsk, Siber… Read Full Bio ↴Producer, occasional vocalist, and DJ Nina Kraviz hails from Irkutsk, Siberia -- not exactly a dance music hot spot. Kraviz fell under the spell of house music during the mid-'90s through radio. A few years later, she moved to Moscow for the sake of studying dentistry and was, briefly part of a trio called MySpaceRocket. The group released one 12", 2007's "Amok," a lean house track with a deep bassline and Kraviz's breathy vocals; the B-side featured a version from U.K. DJ legend Greg Wilson. Kraviz subsequently went solo and made a splash in 2009, when she issued productions on Efdemin's Naïf, Jus-Ed's Underground Quality, and Matt Edwards' REKIDS. The following year, Kraviz issued another handful of singles, including a sound clash with Sascha Funke that appeared on BPitch Control. "Ghetto Kraviz" was her lone 2011 single and set up the release of her first album, a self-titled set for REKIDS.

Mystery
Nina Kraviz Lyrics

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I don′t know how much time went by.
Marie told me about her work and she never stopped smiling.
The murmuring and the shouting and talking crossed backwards and forwards.
The only oasis of silence was just next to me where the young man and the little old lady were gazing at each other.
One by one the Arabs were taken away.
Almost everyone stopped talking as soons as the first one went out.
The little old lady stepped up to the bars and, at the same moment, a warder beckoned to her son.
He said, Goodbye mother, and she put her hand through the bars to give him a long, slow litttle wave.

Mystery.

I was feeling rather ill and I would have liked to leave.
I found the noise quite painful.
But on the other hand, I wanted to make the most of Marie having there.
I don't know how much time went by.
Marie told me about her work and she never stopped smiling.
The murmuring and the shouting and talking crossed backwards and forwards.
The only oasis of silence was just next to me where the young man and the little old lady were gazing at each other.
One by one the Arabs were taken away.
Almost everyone stopped talking as soons as the first one went out.
The little old lady stepped up to the bars and, at the same moment, a warder beckoned to her son.
He said, Goodbye mother, and she put her hand through the bars to give him a long, slow litttle wave.
Mystery.
I was feeling rather ill and I would have liked to leave.
I found the noise quite painful.
But on the other hand, I wanted to make the most of Marie having there.
I don′t know how much time went by.
Marie told me about her work and she never stopped smiling.
The murmuring and the shouting and talking crossed backwards and forwards.
The only oasis of silence was just next to me where the young man and the little old lady were gazing at each other.
One by one the Arabs were taken away.
Almost everyone stopped talking as soons as the first one went out.
The little old lady stepped up to the bars and, at the same moment, a warder beckoned to her son.
He said, Goodbye mother, and she put her hand through the bars to give him a long, slow litttle wave.

Mystery.
(From the Stranger-Albert Camus)

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Mystery" by Nina Kraviz are a direct quote from the novel "The Stranger" by Albert Camus. The song describes a scene where the singer is at a prison with a woman named Marie. They are surrounded by noise and chaos, as Arab prisoners are being taken away one by one. The only moment of peace comes when the singer notices an elderly woman and a young man gazing at each other through the prison bars. The young man is her son, who is being taken away. The words "Mystery" suggest that the meaning of this moment is unclear, as the singer reflects on the significance of the event.

The lyrics are open to interpretation, but one possible reading of the song is that it reflects the themes of the novel: the absurdity and meaninglessness of human existence, as well as the search for meaning in an irrational world. The chaotic environment of the prison contrasts with the quiet moment between the woman and her son. The singer's feeling of illness and discomfort suggests an existential crisis, questioning the purpose of being there. In this way, the song can be seen as a meditation on the human condition.

Line by Line Meaning

I don’t know how much time went by.
The singer loses track of time and does not know how long he has been in the situation he is describing.

Marie told me about her work and she never stopped smiling.
Marie shares information about her job and appears to be happy and optimistic.

The murmuring and the shouting and talking crossed backwards and forwards.
There is a lot of noise and commotion in the environment, with varied sounds passing back and forth.

The only oasis of silence was just next to me where the young man and the little old lady were gazing at each other.
The only place of peace amid the chaos was near the artist, where a young man and an old woman shared a moment of connection.

One by one the Arabs were taken away.
Individuals identified as "Arabs" are being removed or taken from the environment, one at a time.

Almost everyone stopped talking as soon as the first one went out.
The departure of the first Arab is met with a generalized interruption in conversation and noise.

The little old lady stepped up to the bars and, at the same moment, a warder beckoned to her son.
As events progress, an elderly woman approaches a barrier, and a guard signals to someone identified as her son.

He said, Goodbye mother, and she put her hand through the bars to give him a long, slow little wave.
The son bids farewell to his mother, while she responds with a traditional gesture of affection, despite being separated by a barrier or fence.

Mystery.
This final statement might evoke a sense of unresolved or unclear meaning, as the situation described in the prior lines is left open-ended or ambiguous.

Writer(s): Nina Valerievna Chliyants

Contributed by James I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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