Paradise Lost is the decade in the making debut album by Western Cape, South African artist Hunter As A Horse who are the project of Mia Van Wyk who created and produced the album herself.
The album opens with the breathy synth pop of Here's To All The Ones that brings up memories of all their past lovers and all the reasons they have moved on from them, do they have regrets, well maybe one or two they are still holding onto, while the infectious groove shows they may still hold a candle for you, but really they are happy moving forwards.
Kiss Of Death is what you fee like to her, this might have a dancefloor beat but make no mistake, she's got your number and knows what poison you are, she will whisper all your craziness into our ears so we are forewarned about you.
Object is late night acoustic guitar and whispered vocals, explaining her despair that you wish to treat her as an object, rather than a sentient human being that you treat with warmth and love, cold synths washing over her thoughts, at all your controlling behaviour.
Obey has Mia a submissive lover, ready to Obey all your orders, so long as your hers, over the pulsating beats and glistening synths this is somewhere between Morcheeba and Faithless, while drawing you deep into the dynamics of a submissive relationship.
Masochist is what she wants to fight to be, she is no innocent, and she wants to make clear the sort of relationship it will be with her masochistic tendencies, at total odds with the gentle beauty of the musical backing.
The Fortress could easily be about the S & M club in Kentish Town that was raided and closed by the police a few years ago, but this is more about Mia's own personal Fortress and how she wishes to avoid all the betrayal. Dark distended beats allowing her pain to show through.
Paradise Lost is more Milton than the legendary goth metal band, with a driving beat, she is concerned with her blood line and next of kin, among other things that have caused Paradise to be Lost to her. She recommends you save yourself, but you may find that to be impossible, you've been drawn into her world, only fit to worship at her altar.
Go To Bed Now is a plea, an order to you, to do the right thing and to Go To Bed Now doing everything Mia demands of you, knowing like Lola Dutronic, if you don't feel her energy, whatever you do fake it, before the consequences of refusing the request become clear, she will be stuck in your head even longer than this tune will be.
Leviathan has a hushed intro, before the heavy beats come into help describe all her feelings towards the monster you've become, making her fight against the dragon with soft violins against the heavy beats.
Lighthouse has her claiming that she will be your Lighthouse your own personal beacon, will you be able to resist the dark synths and propulsive beats, dashing your body against the rocks of her Lighthouse.
Dark Sky is full on alternative goth floor filler in a KMFDM style, her chanted gauzy vocals get subsumed into the gothic church organ breakdown, with a slow build staring at the dark sky, before everything explodes with her infecting your veins with her intense, passionate embrace, you can't help to crave her, the love that is her addiction.
Dead Things is a soft focus synth horror movie, for all the blood she wants from you, she can be your resurrected everything, you will be created out of the blood she casts from her body, in her vampiric love song, deep in tune with the veins flowing from the passion of lovers being for death we'll once again see.
Find out more at https://www.metropolis-records.com/product/11978/paradise-lost https://hunterasahorse.bandcamp.com/album/paradise-lost-2???https://www.facebook.com/HunterasaHorse https://beacons.ai/hunterasahorse
