Released this past Halloween, “Daily Dose Of Danger” by singer ævina is an immensely chilling track that’ll have you reaching for your night light.
The track opens with the white noise of a needle that’s just been dropped onto a vinyl record followed, suddenly, by a distant ukulele – an instrument usually associated with fun and playfulness, but not in this setting. It’s close, but not in the same room. Before you can identify from which direction it’s coming, ævina has snuck up behind you to whisper-sing in your ear with her best Billie Eilish voice. The entire production is very minimal, generating an unsettling feeling that you’re by yourself, but not alone – a delicate ukulele, an ominous low drone, an ethereal synth floating on top, not to mention a toy music box that ends the song. Every sound is working together in a ploy to present a false sense of comfort and welcoming as the singer continues to lurk about. It feels like being in a haunted house: it’s quiet except for a creak here, a moan there, an occasional howl of the wind. What could be more horrific than feeling like you’re safe, only to find out too late that you’re really not?
Lyrically, ævina is actively seeking this haunting feeling – she likes it. It’s a love interest with whom “Hell…feels so holy.” In fact, it’s “Not love, but stranger/You’re my daily dose of danger.” Her voice is enigmatic. Is she singing to a special someone or a dispensable stranger soon becoming just another victim? Is she confessing her love or performing a ritual? The music and lyrics are cloaked in mystery; nothing is certain and everything is so unsettling.
ævina has given us a horror flick for our ears in “Daily Dose Of Danger,” and in doing so has happened upon something really special: a unique sound and creativity that makes her stand out. Keep your eye on what’s to come from her, and expect the unexpected.
Written by Tim Clark
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