Post by StevePulaski on Apr 7, 2014 21:26:23 GMT -5
"Dysphoria" - Single (2014)
By: Emil Baftirovski
By: Emil Baftirovski
Rating: ★★★½
Emil Baftirovski - a teenage artist hailing from the suburbs of Chicago - has taken an eleven month leave-of-absence from music, presumably clearing his mind, sitting back and listening to artists that inspire him, and trying to grasp what exactly he plans to do with his lofty musical ambitions in his future. In a society that seems to move faster and faster every day, Baftirovski's decision to take time off so young and contemplate things is admirable, as it gives time for maturity to flourish and quality to be placed in the forefront of ubiquity and copiousness.
Baftirovski's hiatus clearly pays off with his latest single "Dysphoria," a haunting, ballady work of musical subversion that doesn't seem to be classifiable in any genre that I can immediately think of. The song is pure poetry, illustrating its titular word strongly, showing how it brings out indifferent, confusing emotions, abstract feelings, a cold approach to life, as well as a looming feelings of restlessness and discomfort in a soul. Perhaps this is the way Baftirovski has been feeling recently, happy at times, uncomfortable at others, alive in certain times, depressed in others, and so forth.
"Dysphoria" lives up to its name beautifully, and denotes commendable production thanks to the work of CHIMS. But Baftirovski's work ethic greatly shows here from his desire to write the lyrics of the song as well as mix and take over the audio engineering elements of it, assuming almost complete control in an industry hellbent on collaborations and compromising. "Dysphoria" perfectly reflects the idea of minimalist songwriting, where tonality, mood, and emotion are put over lyricism and a catchy chorus.
It is precisely these elements that make "Dysphoria" such a mesmerizing, enchanting track that begs you to revisit it (me, personally, being on my seventh listen in about twenty minutes). With "Dysphoria," Baftirovski shows a completely different side from his brazenly titled rap track "It's Over (Fuck Love)" and his vulnerable, autobiographical tune "My Story." With this track, he shows a beautiful ability to conjure up emotion in an industry that currently seems overtaken by sloganeering and infectious, repetitive beats. This is an incredible leap for an artist so young and is clearly just beginning to get started.
Listen to "Dysphoria" on Emil Baftirovski's SoundCloud, soundcloud.com/emilbaftirovski/dysphoria