In truth, the stereotype is completely outdated – if it has ever even been true – and artists like VOYA are very much here to prove it wrong.
Before even releasing their debut album, they have made a name for themselves through a series of impressive live outings (not least at Sŵn Festival, possibly the biggest showcase for alternative music in Wales, and as a perfectly matched gig opener for the equally flamboyant Walt Disco). VOYA’s music is texturally complex, and strikingly emotional, with roots sinking deep into the aesthetics of suggestions of New Wave and an extremely contemporary sensitivity that manifests into a contamination with cutting-edge electronica. Their live appearances are as striking and stylish as the music suggests, coupling finely curated (and sometimes otherworldly) aesthetics with a genuine joy of performance. In a pop scene that often feels stagnating, acts like this are precisely what is needed to revitalise the conversation and blaze new trails – and so it is especially pleasing to see them collaborating with the likes of Jessica Winter and Wuh Oh, who just produced a remix of their single ‘Too Shy For Love’.
Winter herself joined the band at Cardiff’s Paradise Garden to celebrate the release of the remix, and what a night it was: full of moments where a sense of genuine community was palpable in what is a relatively new venue for the city’s music scene, with the same blend of atmospheric and heartfelt that has come to characterise VOYA’s gigs. While the release party felt first and foremost like an occasion for a devoted community to come together on a Friday night and celebrate the beautiful oddities that pop music is still capable of bringing to the stage, there were also memorable moments of live performance. As often before, the duo was joined by vocalist Jessy Allen on the rather intimate space of Paradise Garden’s performance floor, to perform a short but intense stripped-down acoustic set showcasing some of their best tracks. For a band typically so lavish in their sound, one might think that an acoustic performance might represent a challenge, but that was not the case; nothing was lost in the theatricality normally accompanying VOYA’s performances, and the more unedited presentation provided an excellent occasion to showcase the technical and emotional depth of the vocals.
Later in the night, Jessica Winter took to the decks in a display of her own stage magnetism – proving once more that the match between her and VOYA is truly a fortunate one. There is something in the aesthetic and stage presence of these artists that just complements each other; almost a glimpse into a different, and perhaps better, direction pop music could take if only it chose to. A release party should first and foremost be a celebration – of the joy of making music, and of the joy of sharing it. And this was very much the vibe throughout the night, with the people gathered at Paradise Garden feeling more like a community than like an audience. It is a feeling that is sadly sometimes missing from Cardiff venues, and it was a real pleasure to find it so strongly here.
This is only the beginning for VOYA. In the past years, they have shown that they can be patient and hone their music and live performances to the best possible effect before unleashing them into the world. In the future, we can no doubt expect more of the same – and more joyous moments like this from them.
Chiara Strazzulla
Image: Chiara Strazzulla
