Wallgrin is the experimental pop project of Vancouver-based composer, improviser, vocalist and violinist Tegan Wahlgren from Vancouver BC.
Slice in the Mouth came out a few weeks ago with a captivating music video.
The track is taken from the upcoming album Yet Again the Wheel Turns which is set for release in Summer 2021 via Heavylark.
The song has that 80s art-pop vibe and sonic soaring vocals a-la Kate Bush.
Check out the music video.
About the song:
This first single speaks about being ready to let go when things don’t work out, and, in the same moment, indulge in life’s pleasures while they last. Lyrically, Wallgrin juxtaposes the fragility of relationships with the fragility of Earth’s ecosystems. The triumphant chorus leans into frightening uncertainties about the next mass extinction: “Goodbye to the mastodon/goodbye to the sheep” implies we must prepare ourselves for a future where the most common, unthreatened creatures go the way of the extinct giants.
Slice In The Mouth is co-produced by Wallgrin and fellow musician/producer Harley Small — the pair previously collaborated on a joint single in 2019, Magic Circle, released under both their names. Small is slated to co-produce the rest of Yet Again the Wheel Turns alongside Wallgrin.
In the accompanying music video, Wallgrin performs a magical ritual involving a plethora of household tools in a misguided attempt to “fix” something. What needs to be repaired is unclear, whether it be personal or universal — but either way, these colourful, fun, and ridiculous visuals highlight the absurdity of trying to control the uncontrollable. The video is directed and conceptualized by Wallgrin, with cinematography by Sam Tudor and features work by nail artist Lauren Emmett.
“I am interested in how personal and global crises can sometimes mirror each other. We all experience ups and downs at different times, but when these transformative moments of our lives coincide with global events —climate change, pandemics, economic collapse— a special kind of catharsis ensues. There is a bittersweet disconnect between finally opening yourself to receive love and experience joy while surrounded by a world on the brink of collapse. As much as it feels like we’re teetering on the edge of chaos, it’s also a point of transition and rebirth.”
Slice In The Mouth gets:
/10.
