Many gourmets love to compare culinary delights to music, they say that in a good dish, just like in a symphony, everything must be in harmony: the taste, the aroma, and the mood. But here’s what’s interesting: if you flip this comparison and look at music through the lens of haute cuisine, you can discover entirely new sensations. This is especially noticeable when listening to I Am Boleyn, that’s the stage name of British singer and songwriter Lydia Owen Edmunds. She works in the synthpop genre and does it with such finesse that you want to break her music down into ingredients, like a complex dish.
In her songs, one can easily catch a sense of nostalgia for retro synthesizers, but all of it is presented with modern electronic subtlety, you can hear echoes of Robyn, the elegance of Goldfrapp, and that very Scandinavian freshness that MØ possesses. Lydia grew up surrounded by music: her father used to play records by Van Morrison, David Bowie, Lou Reed at home, so it’s no surprise that she began writing songs at an early age. She’s already had some notable releases – the EPs “Paris to Boleyn” (2021) and “Lost Summer” (2022), which, by the way, includes a duet with Swedish pop star Dear Sara. And now, a full-length debut album, “Voyager,” a whole 15 tracks. It’s as if a chef has finally decided to present his main tasting menu: everything he knows, all his favorite flavors and unexpected combinations in one big offering.
At the heart of Voyager is the story of the Queen of the Cosmos, who sets off for Earth: an odyssey of love, despair, and self-discovery. And I would like to tell this story from the point of view of a culinary critic. Imagine that you’ve come to a special concert-dinner, at a molecular gastronomy restaurant. Here, familiar dishes suddenly transform into something unexpected: ice cream is served hot, and soup comes in the form of transparent spheres that burst on your tongue. That’s more or less what happens with “Voyager” – familiar emotions and melodies, but presented in such a way that you don’t recognize them right away. You sit down at the table not knowing what to expect, and then the first dish appears, opening this unusual tasting menu. The first track of the album, “Only Space,” is like a greeting from the chef, which immediately sets the mood for the entire evening, surprises and intrigues, promising even more musical discoveries ahead.
And it is precisely in this context that “Taxi” appears, the lead single, which I would compare to a spicy sauce that adds heat to the entire album and gives the sound a special piquancy. In it, synthpop reveals itself in all its beauty: shimmering synths, groovy beats, and a melody that grabs you instantly. The track captures attention right away, blending nostalgia with a sharp modern sound. The vocals are that very spice which gives the sound its refined, flavorful kick.
The songs on “Voyager” are like individual dishes in a tasting menu.
And if we talk about flavors, “Driving in the Dark” is a kind of atmospheric experiment. The sped-up chorus sections and shimmering synthesizers create a sense of movement, while the vanilla-caramel vocals add softness and completeness to the composition, preparing the listener for the next musical revelation. It is in this atmosphere that “Here Before” appears, a light mousse of nostalgia that melts as you listen, leaving behind only a delicate, pleasant aftertaste. This approach allows the track to gently blend into the overall style of the album, without overloading the sound palette, while setting an emotional tone and enhancing the overall atmosphere of the record.
There is a lot of interesting material on the album, but I would like to pause on the track “Toxic “(a cover of the Britney Spears hit). Its sound is like a classic dish prepared using new techniques: you recognize the taste, but can’t quite understand how it’s even possible. In my view, this highlights the originality of the interpretation while also giving the album a fresh sonic flavor. This becomes especially clear in the track “Meet Me in the Clouds“, which is like a cloud of cotton candy, only instead of sugar, it’s made of dreams and hopes. The lightness of form is deceptive; inside lies a complexity of emotion, and that’s where the magic truly is.
I can’t help but highlight the track “Stay ” – one of the most melodic on the album. It’s something like a dessert with an unexpected filling: at first everything seems familiar, the taste is recognizable, but inside a whole bouquet of nuances is revealed: airy foam, bursting berry spheres, a slight tartness and sweetness that together create an entirely new experience. Just like in the track: familiar synthpop motifs are unexpectedly complemented by unusual arrangements and emotional shades, making Stay the highlight of the album. And yet, the track “Until The Summer Ends” becomes the true culinary finale of the album. The singer masterfully weaves synthpop elements into the song, shimmering synthesizers and airy beats, and around the main vocals, various sonic accents scatter like sprinkles. The result is a rich ending that leaves a bright and memorable aftertaste.
The debut album “Voyager ” by I Am Boleyn is like a dinner prepared by an experimental chef who isn’t afraid to mix tradition with innovation. The music becomes a gastronomic exploration, where you want to keep tasting to catch all the nuances and unexpected accents. In short, if you’re tired of your usual playlists, listen to “Voyager”, and let your ears “feel like true gourmets.”
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