SINES are a dynamic, political, and endlessly cheeky synth-pop project comprised of two artists living on opposite sides of the world: producer, composer, synth nut, and DJ Jason Wann, based in Portland, and singer/songwriter, visual artist, and director Kitty Richardson, based in Leeds, in the North of England.
Despite never actually meeting in person, Wann and Richardson released their first full album together, Gravity, last fall. Wann has said that although the project has released two albums and a few singles prior to Gravity, this album is truly what SINES was meant to be.
“The first album was me attempting to make my version of what I thought a modern pop record was. The second was made during lockdown, and the less said about it, the better. A Series of Moments is, to me, the first real SINES album because that’s when Kitty got involved. The songs are much darker lyrically, and I think sonically I found more confidence as a producer and a writer, and it just feels so much more cohesive than the first albums.”
The project was always meant to be female vocal-forward, and after working with Richardson on the single “Something in the Way” (the video for which Richardson also directed), both artists knew the duo was formed. From there, the pair worked over the next two years to put Gravity together from 6,000 miles away. The distance clearly didn’t matter, as this album is cohesive, relevant, and seems to combine the talents of both artists perfectly, showing physical proximity truly doesn’t matter when creators are on the same wavelength. What’s an ocean and a continent between two people when there’s such a strong vibe?
Said strong vibe contains not only a shared affinity for vintage synth sounds, pop melodies dripping in irony, and a love for over-the-top video production. There are deep concepts running through Gravity as well. Based loosely on the ideas of Philip K. Dick in his futuristic novel, Gravity is a concept album from the perspective of a wayward space explorer returned to Earth in 2023 after being lost amidst the dimensions. It’s a comment on modern society from an outsider’s perspective, and Richardson says there’s even more to it than meets the ear.
“For me, the most exciting thing about Gravity is the fact that the whole ‘spaceman lost in space and then returning to Earth’ story is a perfect allegory for my experience with autism and trying to navigate the neurotypical world. I think my main goal for my music is to communicate to others a feeling that I’m unable to express using only words.”
Relatable, visceral, and full of pop punch, Gravity and SINES are a testament to what can happen when two great artists come together. The duo are already working on their next album, but in the meantime, they invite listeners to feel the weight of Gravity.
Nadia Elkharadly
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