Philadelphia's MINKA announces the final two EPs in their 2019 trilogy - two works that are complete opposites. The first is a potent blend of intrigue and sexuality – an R&B exploration of all things forbidden. The latter collection, by contrast, experiments with modern pop interpretations of 19th century classical repertoire. Mysteries of the Heart arrived on March 29 and Reincarnation, April 12.
In conjunction with the announce, MINKA shares new video for party tune "Rollerblades" off Mysteries of the Heart – watch + share via YouTube.
MINKA recently debuted the first EP, the intensely felt, post-breakup End of the Affair on Valentine’s Day. To celebrate the release, MINKA will host a 'MINKA Masquerade' event at Warehouse on Watts in Philadelphia on March 15 - alongside bands, DJ's, and freaks all night.
Mysteries of the Heart is, on the surface, an upbeat collection of party tunes. Yet, feel-good grooves underpin a deeper search for self-understanding. Two years ago, vocalist/songwriter/keyboardist Ari “Dick” Rubin took a vow of silence and retreated into the woods. In his meditation, he rediscovered the inner self... a wild soul that the prison of modernity had stifled for too long, and could no longer be denied. When he emerged from that forest, he was a changed man – for he had conquered fear. At last, he was free, and took it upon himself to spread mirth and mischief wherever his travels took him. This EP recollects his adventures.
Reincarnation is an avant-garde EP in which Rubin, a classically trained pianist, interprets his favorite vocal pieces by Schubert, Schumann, and Strauss - updating them in his own words, and with electronic production. The original 19th century German “lieder” pieces, written for voice and solo piano accompaniment, are part of a musical tradition that remains under-appreciated, even amongst classical music’s fans. The seven songs are transmissions from another time, relocated into a context their composers could scarcely have imagined. Set amidst hiphop beats and Brian Eno-esque soundscapes, ancient melodies serve as a vehicle for an entirely new emotional expression.
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