SONG REVIEW: VOH’s ‘Amnesia’ is Hard to Forget

When describing distinguished artists and performers, people often talk of the mysterious “X–factor”. As much as we can attempt to verbalise their talent with colourful descriptions, there’s an ineffable charm which arrests our attention. With her sparkling second single, it’s clear that whatever that quality may be, Violet Hull (aka ‘VOH’) has got it. 

Based in Sydney, the artist’s debut single, ‘Away’, introduced its listeners to her distinctive take on the alt-pop genre, which she has dubbed “World Pop”. Far from a mere gimmick, you can hear the confluence of ear-friendly melodies and subversive stylistic choices, which gives her music a characteristic sound. 

Speaking to SURG, Hull outlines her artistic mission statement: “What I want to bring through my music is lots of caring, but also carefree, cathartic expressions that don’t overlook the lows of life, but channel them into a raw, honest voice.”

Though her new release is closer to what we are accustomed to on the music charts, it is by no means a lesser song. ‘Amnesia’ is a dazzling, upbeat disco-pop track which takes us back to a time when skies were clear and the sun would come out to shine.

The track was created with the help of Hull’s uncle, who goes by the alias ‘Tremolo Switch’. “We wrote it together during the 2020 lockdown by sending things back and forth over text,” Hull explains. “We wanted to make a disco-esque bop that’s chill but also holds lots of energy. Something you can just groove to while walking or driving.”

Radio-ready music can often feel antiseptic and repetitive, but VOH takes a tried-and-tested formula and makes it her own. The best pop songs are unpretentious and punchy, and ‘Amnesia’ delivers on these fronts. What strikes me first is her ability to craft memorable melodies which nestle in the song’s groove — you can’t help but sing along to the vocalise which follows every chorus. This is accentuated by a skilful use of rhyme which lands each line on a satisfying note. In the chorus she sings, “I know this feeling’s fucked me up before, but it must be a case of amnesia / I know I should be showing you the door, instead of doing things that’ll please ya.”

Detailing the song’s lyrical concept, Hull says:

“It grew into this big expression of the chaos that happens within us when we know we are making a mistake, but we keep making it because we are human.”

VOH’s vocal delivery is slick and glides along the tight drum beat, but she also belts when needed, making for an impressive bridge. The instrumentation loosely follows the wave of nu-disco popularised by artists like Dua Lipa and Doja Cat in recent years, but also draws from more classic funk devices prevalent in the 70s and 80s. You can hear this in the melodic bass lines and syncopated single-note guitar lines reminiscent of Prince, as well as the  sparkly synths which colour the chorus. 

Importantly, these diverse elements do not clash and instead creates a smooth, flowing and thematically holistic track. As VOH sings of the anaesthetising effect of tempting love, the unapologetically vibrant music makes it clear that she’s always up for her next mistake if it means that she can get a kick out of it in the process. For the song’s three-minute runtime, VOH beckons us to leave our inhibitions and just dance, and dance we do.

VOH’s debut EP, VPOP, is set to release later this year, and will feature both ‘Away’ and ‘Amnesia’. “Each song is very unique,” Hull states. “They reveal different things about my personality. What connects them all is a hyperized version of all the things I love about pop music.”