By now you’ve heard the bulk of what’s to come from Chicago’s I Ya Toyah on her upcoming new EP I am the Fire save for the title track which is the only one of the three originals on here (Plus two remixes) not previously released. But you haven’t heard our take! Which is pretty stellar because, let’s face it that when it comes to I Ya Toyah it’s all stellar.
True to form, and per our recent interview with I Ya Toyah (Which you can read here), the EP is the definition of Genre-Bending and does not stick to any one facet of Industrial or Darkwave or Electro (As I Ya Toyah revealed recently with the EP charting across many different Bandcamp charts). And even with Stabbing Westward’s Walter Flakus manning the boards, I am the Fire still manages to transcend any one sound with opener “Panic Room” taking that statement and running with it for a glowing anthem complete with a glowing chorus topped by swirling electronic elements, grinding guitar tones, and I Ya Toyah’s lush delivery weaving in and out of the fabric.
There’s a reason Christopher Hall of Stabbing Westward chose to sing on “Dream Not To Dream” which rears its’ head next with mechanical beats, an infectious bounce to cause uncontrollable fervor that may or may not result in uncontrollable dancing wherever you may be, and I Ya Toyah’s ethereal vocals here adding a haunting presence to offset the propulsive programming. With Hall’s version there’s definitely a more Stabbing Westward-esqe flair with even more driven synthetic accompaniment culminating in a stunning harmony from the SW vocalist and I Ya Toyah.
The title track is another gorgeous song filled with sweeping, broad strokes on a mid-album reset as it slows things down ever so slightly but manages to ramp up the intensity with staccato blasts of sound as I ya Toyah’s powerful performance reflects the instrumental sentiment. Closing out the EP is an alternate version of “Panic Room” as remixed by The Anix and with this new take, fans get a cyber-stylized update that’s like a dream cross between Front Line Assembly and Delerium (And yes, we know who are in both bands).
I am the Fire is out on April 5th through Femme Fatale Records with pre-orders already on their way to eager fans. If you haven’t ordered yours yet then what are you waiting for??? But seriously, if you hesitated you can still get yours by heading here or to the stream below. For more from I Ya Toyah, including where to catch her live with Orgy/Cold soon or at Cold Waves Festival this September, follow the interwebs to I Ya Toyah’s official site here with all the links you’ll ever need to the socials and more (And don’t forget to check out our recent interview here).