We Warsaw it coming! The Polish capital dwelling artist known as Brodka has unleashed another stream of goodness from her latest album Clashes, following on from previous outing, Horses. At this rate of quality control, she’ll be winning legions of new fans at a steady rate. Santa Muerte is as bewitching and beguiling as Brodka herself. By turns jaunty and introspective, it has a vaguely Eurovision feel to it without the high camp.
A shuffling beat gives way to a resonant bassline and the whole thing moves along like The Mumfords on the back of an open truck, chewing corn. It’s folksy, poppy but also has enough interesting drum fills and 60’s style John Barry drama near the end to elevate it above being just a pretty plodder. Lyrically, it’s about death. With Brodka being particularly fascinated by an inspiring trip to Mexico, she said that ‘The song is like a conversation with death but treating it as a conversation with a friend.’ If anybody has seen the opening of Spectre, or is familiar with the Mexican Day of the Dead, it’s filled with spooky but visually amazing iconography and gives way to a spiritual celebration that’s far from morbid.
Santa Muerte is a lush production, but quietly unassuming. It’s up to us and everybody who listens, to spread the good word.