- TV Review: Doctor Who – Oxygen - 13 May, 2017
- TV Review: Doctor Who – Knock Knock - 6 May, 2017
- TV Review: Doctor Who – The Pilot - 17 April, 2017
AlunaGeorge surprised the internet on Friday (3 October 2014) by dropping new track ‘Supernatural’. Akin to the brilliant 2013 debut Body Music, ‘Supernatural’ sees Aluna’s distinct, breathy vocal distilled over a sample-layered hard beat.
It probably isn’t a single, given that no information about the follow-up to Settle has thus far been released, but it would certainly work as such. It’s a change in direction, and a positive one at that. AlunaGeorge appear to have taken criticism of their debut onboard, and Aluna’s vocal is more refined than on some of their previous efforts. Here it floats beautifully and every word is comprehensible. This is likely aided by the simplistic beat provided by George.
This is refined house at its finest; the beat is simple and yet it cuts deep. It never relents, and continues to beat and beat like a dying heart on the verge of giving up.
Given the song’s (apparent) message, the beat works incredibly well.
‘Supernatural’ is an ode to the realms of inexplicable events, discussing the uncertainty of life. Aluna’s angelic voice opens by asking ‘Is this dead, or is it alive?’ and she later asks a similar question: ‘Is this dream state or awake?’ It’s all about making the perfect invention, which is itself difficult to verify – the titular supernatural.
Deep down, ‘Supernatural’ appears to discuss the probability that perfection isn’t possible, but subjective near-perfection is. Ultimately its message is mysterious, and ‘Supernatural’ probably isn’t about any of the above at all. But it can be read as such.
If ‘Supernatural’ is only a teaser of what is to come, colour Vada a deeper shade of excited. Anything AlunaGeorge put their name to is great. We have only one request. Please, please, please can we have more stunning house beats along the lines of Disclosure’s ‘White Noise’? It’s a modern classic, and Aluna’s voice is extremely suited.
