Anja Plaschg grew up in a small village called Gnas in south east Styria, where her parents have a farm. She has played piano since she was six. At the age of 14 she began violin studies and developed an interest in electronic music. She attended the Graz Polytechnic for Graphic Design, but dropped out at 16 and moved to Vienna shortly afterwards. There she studied art at the Academy of Fine Arts in the master class of Daniel Richter, but at 18 dropped out again.
Musicians like Xiu Xiu, Cat Power, Björk, Nico, Aphex Twin and composers like Sergei Rachmaninoff or Arvo Pärt have had a great impact on her music.
After only playing a handful of concerts she was already being dubbed a "Wunderkind". In 2008 she played German singer Nico in the play "Nico - Sphinx aus Eis" by Werner Fritsch in Berlin and Vienna, performing several songs in it, including "Janitor Of Lunacy", from her first EP.
Her first album, called "Lovetune for Vacuum", was released in March 2009. It received excellent reviews and placed in the Austrian Top 10. The album also achieved chart positions in Germany, Belgium and France. Music journalists have already claimed to see in her a new star of Austrian pop.
In 2010 her song "Mr Gaunt Pt 1000" was used in the television commercial for Ford's Mondeo. In the 2010 French film "Mes chères études" (also known as "Student Services"), the song titled "The Sun" plays during the credits. Her tracks 'Brother of Sleep' and 'Marche Funèbre' were used in the soundtrack for Universal Pictures thriller 'War Games: At the End of the Day' in 2010.
The death of her father in 2009 was a key element on her mini-album Narrow, which was released in February 2012.
Boat Turns Toward The Port
Soap&Skin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The boat turns toward the port
With fire and mud stained sky
Bright aft time
Bright aft time
My whole burden is laid down
Stay here
Stay here
Soap&Skin's "Boat Turns Toward the Port" is a song with cryptic lyrics that can be interpreted in several ways. One interpretation is that the song describes a weary traveler finally reaching his destination after a long journey. The lyrics "forward tales to tide, the boat turns toward the port" suggest that the traveler has been sharing his adventures with the fellow passengers on the boat, and they have finally arrived at their destination. The reference to the "fire and mud stained sky" paints a picture of a tired traveler reaching his destination at dusk, with the sun setting in the background. The line "my whole burden is laid down" suggests that the traveler has finally let go of all his worries and stressors, and can now enjoy the peace and safety of being at home.
Another interpretation of the lyrics is that the song is about death and the afterlife. The line "forward tales to tide" suggests that the singer is journeying towards the afterlife, and "the boat turns toward the port" refers to the final destination of death. The reference to the "fire and mud stained sky" could represent the tumultuous nature of the afterlife, or the cleansing that happens at death. The line "my whole burden is laid down" implies that the singer has been carrying a heavy burden during his life, but can now let go of it and rest in peace.
Overall, the song is a haunting and poetic meditation on journeys and transitions, and can be interpreted in several ways based on the listener's own experiences and worldview.
Line by Line Meaning
Forward tales to tide
Cast stories out to the current, let them drift with the ebb and flow of the water
The boat turns toward the port
The vessel pivots and heads towards the safety and familiarity of the harbor
With fire and mud stained sky
The horizon is ablaze with oranges, reds, and yellows as the day comes to a close and the land is blanketed with wet, earthy tones
Bright aft time
The rear of the ship is illuminated by the last rays of the sun, the last moment of light before the darkness descends
My whole burden is laid down
The weight of responsibility is released and the individual can finally rest, no longer carrying the heavy load
Stay here
Remain in this moment, this place of safety and rest
Stay here
A repetition, emphasizing the importance of remaining present and not running towards the unknown future
Contributed by Makayla K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@dasBaum1234
must be one of the hardest songs to perform live ever
@charliez077
she sometimes tries it as an encore and mostly her voice can't take it:P but I appreciate her trying, this is such a higlight and sometimes she still hits a phenomenal, haunting note there:-)
@JuanRodrigues
I agree
@Avtomat
@@charliez077 no wonder, I'd probably cry at the tenth note and there goes your voice :P
@THISNAMEISNEVERKNOW
This song is AMAZING. I've loved it for years now. I am so happy to see she has finally performed it live. The meaning behind the song is truly vague. It seems she is expressing some sort of relief at the end. "Stay here" after finally being able to pull the forward of the boat towards the port against the tides. But her voice is so desperately relieving it almost evokes a sense of sadness and relief. It's one of the greatest I have probably ever heard and will probably ever hear in my life. Thank Anja.
@Billyontheroad
In these strange times nobody else manages to combine beauty and despair in such an amazing way. Brilliant!
@jerrydonquixote5927
absolutely brilliant, magnificent, moving, and spiritual experience ,,, I every time I watch, list
@jerrydonquixote5927
amazing,,such moving sounds, & images,,,, absolutely brilliant,!!!
@chrissennfelder7249
It gets my every single time. So haunting.
@heartisabeatingdrum1
she performed it yesterday at konzerthaus dortmund for the first time with the words: "ich versuch's" - "i'll try it" - it was amazing!