Taken from seminal album Anima Mysterium, South African frontrunner Yugen Blakrok deconstructs self and society on the avant garde, abnormal and all-absorbing ‘Ochre’. The peerless, rare and scholarly artist demands the attention of the listener, using science fiction soundscapes, hard hitting percussion and coy, mediated melodic contributions to transcend you into her own individualistic thought process. On Ochre, the lyrical sorceress denotes a journey into the deep, dingy sections of sonic texture and of mental state: questioning reality, the unknown and everything in between. 

On an instrumental that is unnerving and bold, sonically varied and sensually mixed, the all consuming, melodically progressive bass line stands out, as well as the pitched sample that begins and finishes the cut. The texture is like melted butter, silky and smooth, bustling with vibrancy and intricacy. YUGEN’s delivery is impeccably sharp, her voice cutting through and attacking the instrumental. Lyrically she questions society and her own psyche in a macabre and profound manner. 

Incredibly individualistic and creative, this is a really special track, with a very cool video. Definitely one to check out.