Track Review: Antidote // Pablo Iranzo
Blending the sounds of Radiohead, The Cure and The Verve, Pablo Iranzo embraces the grittiness of life in his music. Describing himself as a “gothic alternative rock artist”, the German singer-songwriter sets a moody tone with his unique sound. Beginning his musical journey in 2017, or at least that is when he began streaming music on Spotify, Pablo has released numerous singles and a well-received debut EP Blind Faith. Featured on notable press from The Other Side Reviews to Less Than 1000 Followers, Nagamag and Jamsphere Rock Radio, Pablo is reaching audiences on a global scale. The latest addition to his discography is the single ‘Antidote’.
Following his post-punk meets synth-pop single ‘Chaotic Neutral’, ‘Antidote’ is a darker, grimier grunge-inspired rock song. Combining distorted guitars and pounding drums, Pablo instils a sense of forceful desperation in the rough melody. Oddly enough, while the instrumentation has a jarred element it also brings a smooth flow to the kaleidoscopic soundscape. I believe, this showcases Pablo’s innovativeness in melding genres and styles in a succinct and sophisticated way.
Along with the genre-defying sonic swirl, Pablo further showcases his versatility as an artist with no song sounding the same as another. True, there is a strong Radiohead-esque grunge foundation to Pablo’s music, but the additional instrumentation gives each tune a pronounced individuality. For instance, ‘The Mask Song’ has a strong alternative rock feel as compared to the softer ‘Antidote’. Regardless of the sound, we can count on the depth of his lyricism to add profoundness to his repertoire.
Touching on elements of humanity, Pablo elegantly picks at the less attractive side of reality. ‘Antidote’ exposes the emotional side of heartache with a painful and heartbreaking yearning. The vocals are particularly significant as they enhance the despair behind the situation; however, the clever lyricism adds hopefulness to the song. Overlooking a mire of doom, ‘Antidote’ is gut-wrenching but there is also a lingering optimism tenderly holding you in this tapestry of sound.
“It is a song I wrote the morning after a heartbreak when everything looks, feels and seems different. The antidote for heartbreak is, as the lyrics suggest, a positive mindset even during painful times. ‘Antidote’ starts slow and builds up not only with the story in its lyrics but with its instrumental parts culminating in an epic ending with smashing guitars…” – Pablo Iranzo on ‘Antidote’