Art pop artist, Montana Sharp's first release of 2022 is the stylish and evocative single 'Way Of The Whiffler' – a song that came to life after Sharp used a dictionary app to explore words that would inspire creative projects.
"Around the time I wrote this song, I used a word of the day dictionary app every day to find cool words that would inspire future songs and lyrics," Montana says."One day, the word of the day was 'whiffler', an old English word meaning 'a person who frequently shifts opinions, attitudes, interests, etc'.
"I thought that was emblematic of everyone's predicament in their early 20s – where everything around you is sort of impermanent and ever-changing.
"At that time of my life, I was set on projecting a completely different version of myself, to hide the true one who felt hurt and vulnerable.
"I think I wrote the lyrics from the lens of someone who wanted to keep people at a distance. After all, what is the point of attachment if the only constant is change? That was my view at the time anyway."
'Way Of The Whiffler' will also feature on Sharp's debut EP 'Blood Moon' (out 11 February).
"We start the EP with songs such as '...Whiffler' and 'Power' (that scenestr premiered last year), written from a protective and unconscious place," Montana says.
"We then move into songs 'Greenhouse' and 'Enough', which is the very raw, soul searching and painfully honest conversations with our egos and fears.
"We then arrive at the 'Blood Moon', which ties together the story of how falling apart is very key to falling together.
"For me, these succession of songs is really a time capsule of my early 20s – the battle in removing my outer shell, and all the unanswered questions that pop up in that tumultuous time."
Here, Montana shares five of her all-time favourite art pop songs.
1: Fiona Apple - 'Criminal'
Before Lizzo spawned the pop-flute revival, there was Fiona Apple, aka original '90s sad girl.This song is the antithesis of conventional pop. Between the descending flute motif and Apple's artful and elaborate piano accompaniment, in stark contrast to the saucy lyrics, 'Criminal' cemented itself in art-pop history by fully re-glamourising everyone's idea of a Top 40 hit.
It's incredibly dark, playful, and cleverly written, and I love that within the diversity, all of the components of the song are communicating the same thing: chaos.
2: Aurora - 'Runaway'
Don't laugh, but I discovered Aurora because of 'Frozen 2'. She's the ghostly voice that Elsa hears in her head in 'Into The Unknown', but more importantly her own songs are crazily special.'Runaway' screams ethereality, with celestial choral arrangements and whimsical lyrics, it really does transport you elsewhere. The production is quite simple and bare, but this only serves to evoke the childlike innocence of the track, mirroring Aurora's wistful introspection: "I had a dream when I was seven..."
Aurora is magic, she knows something we don't and she leaves the listeners desperate to know what her secret is.
3: Bjork - 'It's Oh So Quiet'
Shhhh. . . shhhhhh! Don't you love when you can gauge someone's personality through their music?Bjork is the queen of quirk, and this iconic song is no exception. It's quite epic and lush, and full of cheek. It kind of makes you grin and think what am I listening to at the same time, but that's why we all love it. The peaks and valleys make total sense, and make you feel like you're watching the romance as it unfolds.
Bjork is fearless and freaky, and laughs at the rules of conventional pop music.
4: St Vincent & Bon Iver - 'Roslyn'
I have to admit this song is on this list because COVID reignited my twelvie obsession with 'Twilight', but nevertheless it's a great work of art.The chamber of unison voices mixed with that deep, hearty bass slide gives me the feeling that I'm hanging out in the woods among the crisp fresh air (or that I'm watching 'Twilight'). I don't know who Roslyn is, but I'd like to thank her for inspiring this song and taking us to the forest.
5: Tori Amos - 'Smells Like Teen Spirit'
This is a cover version, but it's so haunting and serves to punctuate the genius of Nirvana's lyrics even further.Amos gives the accompaniment a Chopin-like spin that not only makes it classier, but darker and more sinister too. Her raw and emotive vocals makes you feel grungy and spiritual all at the same time; it's truly a soul piercing and invigorating experience.
