Matters of the heart seem, as I suppose has always been the case, to be a motivating factor for many a musician yet few stray from the candyfloss coloured clouds and wistful sentimentality path in their search for that perfect song. Camilla Sparksss, on the other hand, takes a rather more oblique, and realistic, approach to the same subject matter with the songs on her album “ICU Run”.
Angular and actually revelling in discord, Camilla Sparksss unleashes all her post punk weaponry and combines it with the aggressive use of dancefloor influenced beats to create a platform for lyrics that are about as romantic as a punch in the face. This album is not a comfortable listen by any means, and could even be considered deliberately difficult, yet this is also an album by someone unafraid to walk their own path through this somewhat misaligned reality that traps us all and, for that, attention is thoroughly deserved. Perhaps, therefore, the Camilla Sparksss way reflects the isolation of the one in these troubled times or the disconnection that comes with the avoidance of responsibility and communality or the simple fact that intimacy is no longer fashionable. Playing “ICU Run” at the kind of volume that will surely damage any and all surrounding buildings thus seems distinctly appropriate as this is an album designed for impact.
Camilla Sparksss is the psychotic ex-girlfriend that you never had. Camilla Sparksss is that woman you met at that unforgettable party but you can’t remember her name. “ICU Run” is an album that reminds you that all swords have two edges for a reason. “ICU Run” is an album for the here and now.
Best song: “I Like The Noise”
Verdict: Brutal modernism.
Available from Bandcamp on vinyl and the usual digital places