Get ready to dive into the darkly melancholic world of Arya Zappa. Somewhere between the noir-style Sin City movies and 70s Bowie vibes, this Berlin singer found her niche. Cut Grass is her third release and a dramatic dark-pop single set in the gritty underground scene. Building tension with pulsating retro synth effects, she creates a cinematic vibe that leaves to gloomy landscapes of deserted street corners of a big city at night almost within reach of the listener. Adding to the gloomy mood are Arya Zappa’s beautifully androgynous vocals retelling the tales of nocturnal adventures with detached coolness.
Based on the horrific poem by Phillip Larkin with the same title, Zappa moves in equally dark and lyrical terrain. ‘Cut grass lies frail / brief is the breath’ she croons like a mysterious seer unveiling unsettling visions of the future. Fusing sinister poetry with a Poe-like vibe and glistering synthesizers, the musicians manages to balance on the tight rope perfects. Her unusual voice elevates the song and adds to the moody vibe. Cut Grass is teasing the forthcoming EP Dark Windows, which will be accompanied by three short films to expand the cinematic vibe of her music to visual images. This is just the right song to ring in the darker season or to mingle with the creatures city nights slush out to the surface, alternatively this would also be the perfect sound track for a black and white vampire-flick. The video accompanying the single is one of the three short films and mirrors the song’s vibe with its color scheme and the subtle horror vibes of the scenery.