Princess Nostalgia is known as such because, in some circles, she’s considered “cyberfunk royalty.” And after listening to her latest track, “No Guru,” I have to say this bestowment of royal station isn’t overblown – in fact, it’s well deserved. Princess Nostalgia — a singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer – brings the funk, pop, and bouncy electronica to this summer-infused single pulled from her forthcoming EP. So, does Princess N. really bring the funk (and, of course, the nostalgia)? Let’s talk about it:
“No Guru” starts with synth steel drums that bubble more than ring; they’re an undercurrent for various digital chimes and Princess Nostalgia’s smooth, whispery, robotically filtered voice. And as the song progresses, digital voices harmonize, and the “cyberfunk” protocols launch with a deep and dance-inducing bass synth. The groove persists until we hit a nice spacious break – it’s Nostalgia’s mechanically bending voice over breathy synths and more subtle percussion. And then, the real fun begins:
“Guru” builds towards an ending with a repeated lyric (and I could be mishearing, but it sounds like, “I never need a guru-ah,” with the “ah” simply punctuating the last word). And this build-up begins with harmonizing voices, that steel drum, that solid, funky synth bass, more floating and wrapping voices, additional synth chimes, and the final words continuing briefly after “Guru” hits a hard stop.
But is it good?
Although overtly mechanical (which is probably the point), Princess Nostalgia’s “No Guru” features an authentic human voice wrapped in that clean, chiming circuitry and stainless steel production. And there’s a vulnerability in that voice, but a hopefulness – a childlike wonder – alive in that funk. If you like music that beats with a technology-amped heart, you’ll love Princess Nostalgia’s latest triumph of electric reminiscing.
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BELOW: Listen to Princess Nostalgia and check her out on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook. Please support Princess Nostalgia by visiting her website and playing, downloading, and/or purchasing her music. And, as always, thank you for supporting real music.
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