Tirzah’s One-of-a-kind Pop Embraces the Beauty of Uncertainty


Some pop artists amplify familiar, universal feelings: tender moments in love, the agonizing pain of heartbreak. But others want us to listen with different ears. They ask us to release control, to resist the urge to fully understand music – to linger in the experience of melody, emotion, and sound, even if we don’t fully grasp its meaning.

That’s the crux of the British singer-songwriter’s new album ‘Colourgrade’. Tirza. The 10-track collection is a fluid stroll through the twists and turns of trip-hop, noise, R&B, and electronic music, but even prohibitive genre categories can’t quite capture its free-flowing depth.

Tirzah has long had a knack for meditative, asymmetrical pop. He trained classically at the Purcell School for Young Musicians, but today his practice is based on reserved, cutting experiments. Tirzah, along with her childhood friend and Oscar-nominated composer, producer Mica Levi, is stunning. “Devotion” A simple yet sparkling album developed over the course of ten years, reflecting on romance and human relationships.

“Colourgrade”, its sequel, is a little less legible – and that’s exactly what it’s about. The album, which was recorded after Tirzah’s first child was born and shortly before the arrival of her second child, deals with the themes of motherhood, birth, death and community. However, rather than making a rosy album about parenting, the album is overflowing with mood, intimacy, and texture. There is an abstraction here, but it never becomes pure empirical expression. Tirzah is still precise, even if it is deliberately unpolished and out of the ordinary.

The title track that opens the album draws listeners into this world with a sudden dissonance. Tirzah’s voice turns into a jagged, pulsating distortion. “Keep your face straight Colourgrade,” he trembles and finally trembles into focus. “Did I know, little did I know that I would feel this way/I wish I could see you again, you again.” His voice shines like speckles of pale moonlight and is especially captivating when he’s melancholy. A whirlwind of eerie whistles pervades the production, and his chanting of “I wish” leaves behind a palpable sense of longing.

“Beating”, another elegant and vulgar number, is at the center of the album. Slow but steady drums hiss, crackling whispers and twilight synths swell beneath the surface. It’s hard to believe that this is a song about friendship and the tenderness of new life, but when Tirzah sings “You caught me/I got you/We built life/Beats” in the last line, the clarity of emotion becomes sharper.

Midnight melodies and sparse, repetitive instrumentation are central to “Colourgrade.” tracks like “Hive Mind” and “Tectonic” Rely on powerful beats and rolling synths that turn into a moody, bold trance. The call-and-response duet of “Hive Mind” gives the song a seesaw quality, and each lyric is delivered with a cool, melodic determination that allows emotion to rule our attention.

Tirzah presents the songs “Colourgrade” as little mysteries. Many are frosted, minimalist sketches. Still, the album is full of delicate (but cryptic) lyrics. This mismatch is what makes Color Graded even more magnetic. Maybe it’s a reminder that leaning on uncertainty and the discomfort of the unknown can be liberating, especially in the present moment. It can force us to face difficult emotions, challenge protocols, and unlock a world of openness and possibility.

Tirza
“colourful”
(Domino)



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