‘Born a Cow’ is the debut album from Brussels-based songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Wim Lankriet, the brains behind the weird yet wonderful psychedelic rock project Magdalena Solis.
With a total playing time of under 20 minutes, the album comprises eight short, dark twisted love songs delving into the seamy sides of life.
Although the subjects include prostitution, sadomasochism and rape, the tone is never deliberately negative. Lankriets says: ”I wanted the lyrics to be candid, shameless and dark, but in a way that would make people feel good about themselves, and provide comfort and self-acceptance.”
Still, listeners are forced to navigate recurring images of solitude, hatred, anger, self-loathing and a morbid obsession with death.
Even allowing generous slabs of irony, it’s tough to find a positive slant on brutal lyrics like those in Matthew 16:26: ”My love is broken, my world is broken. I want to be a slag, I want to be debased. I want to be a whore, I want to be ashamed.” These lines are delivered deadpan, as if drained of emotion. Swirling guitar and synths match the bleak mood.
I think the point is that you can only overcome and rise above these depths if you face these dark nights of the soul without fear. “Every night I’m in dreams that corrupt my soul and hurt me” is the lament of Surviving the Dreams.
In the title track, Lankriets expresses the implicit desire running through all these songs: “I want to learn and be loved again.”
The gothic journey he takes is not for the faint of heart but the unfiltered intensity is impressive.
