As the fourth release on the label T4T LUV NRG, Brooklyn based DJ Octo Octa presents She’s Calling, a euphoric collection of three tracks that will take you back to feeling the magic of the dancefloor. The EP is the third piece in the artist’s two-year exploration of the connection between music and ritual; it finalises themes explored in a previous EP, For Lovers out on Technicolour, and her LP Resonant Body due on T4T LUV NRG.
Maya Bouldry-Morrison aka Octo Octa beautifully brings together several traditions of UK rave electronic music, drawing from club essentials Techno, House, Breakbeat, Jungle, and Trance. The A1 Goddess Calling skilfully captures the union of these sounds concerning the transformative nature of the dancefloor, alluding to the importance of connecting with others. A fusion of Breaks and Trance vocals captivates the listener from the start, that takes on a journey towards the mysterious and unknown. Played in these challenging times, Goddess Calling is intended as a way of escape and connecting with the body and nature.
B1 Find Your Way Home is a continuous evolution of genres, welcoming vibrant House and old school record scratching sounds. With the inclusion of beautiful Trance vocals, Leftfield, and UK Breaks; the clubby feelings are all over the place. Comparing it to the A1 side, Find Your Way Home takes the listener back to the Chicago House era, with its euphoric lyrics and housey bass, it invites a free body, mind, and spirit. The track concludes with a different vibe, moving towards more Breakbeat, Leftfield, and Trance. Relevant here is to add that Maya wrote it in early 2020, just a short time before cancelling her tour due to the pandemic. The title was originally conceived as a metaphor to depict an internal journey to find peace.
Moving onto the closing track of the EP, Spell for Nature is a special one. The title speaks for itself, it opens with the sound of an organ, then it is followed by shakers, a melodic piano, and Techno bassline. The general vibe here feels like one of hope and ecstasy, the calm before the storm; there is uncertainty as to what is about to occur. As the track goes on, the music becomes even more beguiling, as Maya’s voice addresses nature with a poem. The figure of the Goddess here symbolises the personification of nature:
There’s a light in the centre of the woods
A bright fire seen through the trees
We’re around it gazing into the flames
She’s brought us here
A bell chimes
She’s asking you to come as well
We’ve heard her voice since the beginning
And You’ve been listening your entire life
She’s calling
The poem climaxes into the end of the track, leaving the listener bewitched by the natural sounds of nature and electronic beats. “She’s calling” reverberates into ears, forming a link with the opening track of the EP, Goddess Calling. Ultimately, there is a chance to grasp the profound story behind the EP. The recording of Spell for Nature is about something Maya saw that she knew had been there the whole time; she discovers an eternal and always evolving truth that will bring peace to the listener and whoever seeks to experience the religious power of music.
She’s Calling EP was released on 5th February 2021 on T4T LUV NRG.
Review by Iman Cavargna-Sani
Torture the Artist 