House Is A Feeling

I think I blogged about this, Green Velvet’s “Stranj”, about 6 years ago on my first ever blog, which I started when I was 18. That blog is now deleted, which is just as well, because much of it consisted of a much younger me eulogising about drugs. Wait, you’d find that more fun? (Well, I’d enjoy writing it as much as you’d enjoy reading it! Might end up homeless though)

I’ve always felt Green Velvet is one of the best lyricists in dance music, though really it might be more accurate to say he’s one of the few lyricists in dance music. He’s certainly the only artist I can think of who manages to write lyrics that seem 100 percent techno, lyrics that are perfectly tailored to dance music and those who are in the dance music loop, without being completely devoid of meaning. (not that there’s anything wrong with “move your body” etc)

There’s always a weird ambiguity with Green Velvet too, mostly you laugh and think he’s joking with all this creepiness, just parodying someone who is teetering on the edge of a breakdown. On the other hand the music is so sinister that it’s difficult to laugh too much.

“Stranj” is his best “song” for me (a rare exhibit for the defence in the “the people vs all techno ’songs’ ever made” trial), though some of his other records are definitely more popular and anthemic. It’s also interesting to note just how much more slamming, and how much faster than the recent techno this sounds. Check out those booming industrial style drums!

The dark, intense atmosphere is rammed home with a lyric that is paranoia and insecurity distilled. As usual, it’s all delivered in Velvet’s weird drawl. Like a lot of great dance music, the vocals are equal parts sleaze, humour, and panic. You don’t know whether this is supposed to make you laugh out loud, or slit your wrists.

I must say it feels weird writing a blog post about a track with the chorus “it’s so strange, how my life has changed”, in which I discuss a blog post I did about the same track 5 or 6 years ago.

Back then this record really struck a chord with me, it just seemed like such an anthem for self destruction and isolation (always cool when you’re 18). Listening again,”Stranj” hasn’t really lost any of its power, though perhaps I don’t find it as funny anymore. I guess this is because back then I liked it for the whole dangerous coolness of Green Velvet as deranged fuckup.

I remember my email signature back then, aged 18, was a few lines from this track: “I’ve been a rebel for so long, on my quest for absolute truth. Doing everything, doing nothing, doing anything, to feel something. For the first time I’ve started to realise, I need to come down from this high, and be the person my family wants me to be, a model citizen of society”. (yes I know, techno email sigs, I was young though! and it doesn’t come across in print as well as in the record!)

Now, 6 years later with a chronic illness and many questions, and a lot more seratonin, I relate to this track and those lyrics even more. Perhaps a little too much for comfort, I don’t find it too funny anymore anyway. What a scintillating record “Stranj” is though. So few records deal with disconnection and paranoia in such a concise way. Hopefully some of you can relate when you hear it. If not today, then maybe it’ll creep up on you at some point in the future.