The other day, I was watching Dick Wolf’s new Netflix show Homicide NY, and as I took in grim stories of New York slayings, I reflected on my own experience of walking the city as a woman. I somehow navigated Manhattan with a naive feeling of safety while simultaneously never feeling safe. I walked home 20+ blocks intoxicated at 3AM many times. I avoided, ignored, and diffused the daily comments, stares, and approaches of New York men — including cops, firefighters, and paramedics. I operated on those streets with high vigilance and simmering stress day and night, and I made it home safe while many people don’t. Listening to the new single from NYC duo VIOLETTA, the lyrics to this song could be speaking to my 26-year-old self walking from Houston to 25th in the early morning dark, half paranoid and half loose with alcohol. While the lyrics feel ominous, the upbeat electronic post-punky synthpop of this song reminds me more of the comfortable distance I created in my mind between my actions and fears. I was always ready to party in that city, even if it meant eventually being left alone with shadows.
VIOLETTA is Wyatt Oberholzer and Michael Walsh (members of Chemical Fix, Fixation), and “Nervous Tendencies” is their first single (out via Dune Altar). Catch them at their debut live performance at Synthicide NYC on April 3rd alongside Statiqbloom and Un Hombre Solo — info below. The video uses rad vintage footage called “Care and Feeding of a Mermaid” and it’s captivating watching these women effortlessly dance underwater with a limited supply of oxygen. Right now, watch our premiere of VIOLETTA’s “Nervous Tendencies” here:
A sense of danger
VIOLETTA “Nervous Tendencies”
That never comes
Troubles thoughts
The mind still runs
An unnerving propriety
Weak and tired
Breathe rapidly
