TAWANDA CHARI
We do a lot of Indigo Saint reviews at ZimSphere. Sometimes you want to skip one. You've heard enough Indigo to know what you're getting. Then you play the album once. Turns out you, in fact, did not know what you were getting. Then twice. Then a third time. And somewhere between those listens, the new words start appearing. I am very fond of the exercise called writing, so here we are.
"The Fish Bowl Is Also On Fire" isn't a well-established historical idiom. I thought it was, but it turns out it is a powerful metaphor. A fishbowl is supposed to be safe. It's an environment designed to sustain life. The fish are visible, trapped and entirely dependent on the system around them. A fishbowl traditionally symbolizes an environment where everyone is visible, observed, and trapped within a defined system like celebrities, politicians, office workers, or even people on social media living under constant scrutiny.
A fish in a bowl is also completely dependent on its environment. It can't easily escape when something goes wrong. And so what happens when the fishbowl catches fire? You guessed right, the system fails. The environment becomes dangerous and the people inside have nowhere to run. There's an irony to it too. Fish live in water, water extinguishes fire. The image shouldn't make sense, which is exactly why it works. And that's where the song Almost lands for me.
This is a baby-come-back song for people who already know the answer. You don't call them your ex because somehow that feels too final. They were your almost forever. The person you genuinely thought you'd spend your life with. But the fishbowl caught fire. Maybe because of mistakes you made. Maybe because you took too long to appreciate what you had. Or maybe because life happened. Now they're doing better than ever. Hotter than before. Happier than before. And unfortunately, somebody else's forever. It's a song about fumbling greatness and spending the rest of your life wondering what could have been.
I love Saiiren. She features on the song Turn Me On, and with that I become acutely aware of how Saiiren constantly reminds me why I do this music thing in the first place, as a fan and as a journalist. She's perfect just here. "Take your time, don't tease me, turn me on," she beautifully muses. The chemistry between Saiiren and Indigo feels effortless. It's a feel-good love song that understands precisely what it wants to be. Groovy, flirtatious, danceable. The guitar work deserves special mention too. Those strings float through the record and grant to it so much life. They're impossible to ignore; and this is one of those songs that immediately makes you imagine hearing it performed live.
Then comes Sweet Chin Music (ft M.U.S.E). I have absolutely no idea what 'Sweet Chin Music' means in this context. My brain immediately travelled to WWE legend Shawn Michaels, which automatically earns the song bonus points for satisfying my nostalgia. Except nobody is getting kicked in the jaw here. Instead, Indigo and M.U.S.E spend the record sweet-talking their way into a woman's good books. Maybe that's the sweet chin music -- maybe charm is the modern superkick. Whatever the case, both artists sound comfortable and charismatic, creating a playful track that never takes itself too seriously.
Now, it should be noted that anything Takura touches is usually gold. The track Girls is no exception. Loverboy Saint might slowly be becoming my favourite version of Indigo Saint. Because I look cool playing songs like this around the girlies. Normalize telling your woman she's special. Normalize telling her they don't make girls like her anymore (because they genuinely don't. Takura steals moments without stealing the spotlight, delivering one of the album's most memorable contributions, delivering impeccably, "They don't fall in love like they used to". And in a fishbowl, there isn't exactly plenty of fish. Especially not one that's on fire.
Substitution is definitely my favourite song on the album. Yup, that's it. Thank you for coming to my TED Talk, folks. Okay, fine. Let me rationalise why this song takes the trophy for me. Since Tandeka once called me a Music Oracle (which has become my identity ever since), apparently (and obviously, like, in a non-negotiable manner) I'm contractually obligated to discuss the sample that adorns this wonderful sonic exposition. Indigo taps into Substitution by Ilanga, originally released in 2006 (l think), and the interpolation works marvellously. The song adequately and precisely captures that moment when you've finally had enough. Enough games. Enough lies. Enough empty promises. Enough of everything, really. Sometimes the healthiest thing you can do is substitute yourself out of somebody else's drama -- you got to leave, live and move on. Calling the person replacing you a spare wheel -- "Woza my spare wheel" -- is objectively hilarious though.
The title track The Fish Bowl Is On Fire featuring Graciee is one I don't fully relate to. At least not completely. I don't have a fit for every occasion. My wardrobe starts and ends with jeans and a T-shirt. If we're going out to eat, there's a strong possibility we're both wondering who's paying. Vacations? Let's focus on surviving Tuesday first. But no matter what, I don't do situationships (another non-negotiable here). I don't talk to my exes. I'm six feet tall, very patient and possess functional manners. Baby mama drama is also something I watch on Netflix.
To the girlies reading this, can you still put your number in my phone? You should put it in Indigo's though. Just understand that we're not trying to be friends though.
The song itself intricately explores the increasingly chaotic nature of modern dating. Everybody comes with baggage. Everybody has unfinished business. Everybody seems to have an emotional support ex lurking somewhere in the background. Maybe the fishbowl is on fire because everybody inside it keeps bringing matches. And maybe the solution is simply leaving the bowl altogether. And also, Graciee is super phenomenal. Her vocals bring warmth and balance to the song, elevating what is already one of the project's strongest pieces.
Old Sweather is one of those soft Indigo Saint records that always hit differently. There's something vulnerable about Old Sweater. The sweater itself becomes a symbol of what's left behind after a relationship ends. The vestiges of what was once dear to the heart. The comfort and the familiarity. The little things that somehow become impossible to throw away.
Maybe she kept it because it still smells like him. Maybe she wears it on lonely nights. Maybe it's simply easier holding onto an old sweater than accepting somebody is gone forever. Song is about something completely different anyway. But l was thinking Kae Chaps Juzi the entire time. Whatever the interpretation, Indigo approaches the song with restraint, allowing the emotion to do the heavy lifting.
On the track Papa Moomin, Indigo fully loses me and, yet, wins me over at the same time. For those unfamiliar, Moominpappa is a character from the beloved Moomin stories. He sees himself as a great thinker. A fearless traveller and a gifted storyteller. And honestly? That sounds a lot like Indigo Saint. Papa Moomin's family usually indulges his adventures, his ideas and his need to occasionally become the hero of every story. Yet beneath all that confidence is Indigo Saint or you or that. other guy, still searching for his own version of Moominmamma. Someone who understands him completely and welcomes him home regardless of what adventure he returns from.
Moominpappa once said: "The world is full of great and wonderful things for those who are ready for them." That's probably the best summary of Indigo Saint's artistic outlook you'll find anywhere on this album.
"The Fish Bowl Is Also On Fire" feels very experimental. And it is not necessarily his most ambitious though. The project traverses through love, regret, nostalgia, heartbreak and self-reflection with the ease of somebody who understands exactly who he is as an artist.
The project is humorous and romantic. Occasionally heartbreaking, occasionally ridiculous. Much like the rigours of dating itself. But by the end of the album, you realise the fish bowl isn't really on fire because the world is ending. It's on fire because relationships are messy, people are complicated, and sometimes the things we thought would keep us safe are the very things burning around us.
Album Rating - 6.8/10
You can stream the album on Spotify.
And on Apple Music.
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