Marina - Ancient Dreams in a Modern Land (Album Review)
Wednesday, 16 June 2021
Written by Matty Pywell
With her fifth album ‘Ancient Dreams in a Modern Land’ Marina has made her most direct work to date—taking a stand against injustice while appealing to the uncontrollable nature of Earth and the cycles of karma that may come back to bite.
It’s refreshing to see a pop album that is unflinching in its approach to political subjects. Purge The Poison is a mad dash through a flipbook of societal ills, from capitalism and racism to misogyny. Vitally, she lays down her own manifesto for change: a world with equal representation in government, where corruption in all its definitions is purged.
It’s a lot to take in, but Marina’s urge to go beyond buzzwords is what makes you take note. This urgent approach to the first half of this album is gripping, with the synths and sleek ‘80s grooves of each track bleeding into the next. It’s highly effective in its brute force tempo.
Rallying against sexism, Marina calls for sisterhood and equality with a key feminist message that urges us to actually take action.
But there are moments that are a bit too on the nose, such as Pandora’s Box and I Love You But I Love Me More. They wander into clichéd territory and the way ‘Ancient Dreams in a Modern Land’ dissipates from its urgent, political bent to fairly anonymous balladry in the last three tracks is a bit disappointing.
Yet for the larger part of its runtime the LP is an unflinching political broadside. Whether it is discussing privilege, racism, ignorance or equality, ‘Ancient Dreams in a Modern Land’ makes a good case for a more inclusive and loving society.
MARINA Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows:
Tue May 17 2022 - EDINBURGH Edinburgh Corn Exchange
Fri May 20 2022 - MANCHESTER O2 Apollo
Sat May 21 2022 - LEEDS Leeds University Refectory
Sun May 22 2022 - LONDON O2 Academy Brixton
Wed May 25 2022 - DUBLIN Olympia Theatre
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