Single of the Week: Antony & Cleopatra “The Islands”
Australian/UK duo Antony & Cleopatra release their first single of the year ahead of their return to Australia for Splendour in the Grass.
You know that feeling where you go on holiday but you’re so used to the hustle and bustle of city life that it takes some time to get used to a slower pace of life? That is the feeling that Antony & Cleopatra convey on this track. East London vocalist Cleopatra, real name Anita Blay explains “For me it’s about the over-romanticizing the idea of ‘getting away from it all’ then realizing that once you’re on a beach with your feet up, you’re suddenly craving the hustle and ambition of a big city like London.”
The metric clock-ticking feel of the track replicates the rhythm of a big city as the days drudge by in a 9-5 job. Blay’s deliberately android like vocals convey the robotic nature of this type of life while longing for an escape to a mythical place simply referred to as “the islands.” The break down represent this escape, but as a first generation British-Ghanaian familiar with the push and pull of city versus island Blay questions whether escape to an unnamed place is really the answer.
It was always going to be tough following up last years massive singles “Twitch” and “Dust” which have clocked up over 1.5 million Spotify plays combined, but with “The Islands” Antony & Cleopatra have another hit on their hands. The only complaint here is that clocking in at under two and a half minutes the track is just too short. Hopefully we will be treated to a club version as on earlier single “Love is a Lonely Dancer.”
You can catch Antony and Cleopatra playing at Splendour in the Grass as well as supporting Riton & Kahlo in Sydney and Melbourne.
