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Photo: Molly Daniel

Over the past couple years, Nilüfer Yanya's name has emerged time and time again as an example of a rising artist worth keeping an eye on. The London-based indie rock artist first gained attention after releasing a string of moody and arresting EPs beginning in 2016, working her way up to the issue of her acclaimed debut album, Miss Universe, in 2019. Her latest release, "Midnight Sun," arrives ahead of her sophomore album PAINLESS, and offers a cautious glimpse into the emotional complexities of romantic rebellion and resistance.

Like her previous work, "Midnight Sun" is at once dark and shimmering, shifting between acoustic and electric elements that enhances the multilayered textures running through the track. Her uniquely deep vocals bring a resonant edge to the song, which shifts in its instrumentation but is always steady in its pacing. Throughout the track, a brooding guitar riff acts as a constant ostinato that hints at a calculated sense of secrecy, creating an underlying tension amplified by key changes and fuzzy feedback.  

Paralleling this sonic tension is the subtle opacity that Yanya imbues into her lyrics, as she provides mere glimpses into her conflicting feelings. "I remember everything / So I can’t take back anything / Unless that’s how I’m meant to feel / Find myself a better deal," sings the London artist.

In her words as in her music, there is a careful oscillation between intimate vulnerability and defensive barriers, reminding us that what we gather from this song is only that which she allows us to. And like staring too closely at a painting, as listeners, we lose more than we gain in trying to decipher the details of what Yanya is recounting. Only when we take a step back in our listening can we recognize themes of defiance, vulnerability, and measured recklessness in the face of love and confrontation, all woven into an exhilarating and shapeshifting track.

Whether lyrical vulnerability or pain, musical tension or release, Yanya masterfully navigates opposing forces in "Midnight Sun," keeping listeners on their toes and itching for more.

"It's a song about recognizing what it feels like to be pushed down but wanting to resist... If I could pick what people saw & heard it would be seeing the beauty of confrontation and the necessity of rebellion," shares Yanya.

Listen to  "Midnight Sun" below: