A cubic zirconia is an artificially created diamond.

A competitor to the true factor, it’s shut sufficient for the typical particular person not to have the ability to inform the distinction. It’s additionally the title of Katy Kirby’s new music.

The music is charming. But it surely’s additionally organized to shock you. 

For while it incorporates sounds and actions which can be acquainted, it gently upends your listening expertise, and does it by pulling you helplessly into the groove by way of delectable instrumentation and engaging lyrics that I can’t fairly get my head round.

Kirby means that the music celebrates the best way somebody makes use of the substitute to current a model of themselves to the surface world. To make use of a man-made diamond to explain this particular person would recommend that she sees the made-up particular person and the bare, pure particular person as the identical factor, indistinguishable from one another.

And but she regularly makes use of the chorus:

Why wouldn’t that be sufficient?

And I’m thrown by that line.

Certainly it says, “I don’t want you to put on synthetic issues, I really like you as you’re.” However the phrases don’t give an acceptable reply. As a substitute, they doc fascinating snapshots of how she is taking a look at this particular person with a point of awe.

Maybe the awe is the cubic zirconia?

As she sings later:

I’m nonetheless craving that unstable type of shine
Shining like chilly plastic water bottles held towards the sunshine

Maybe she will be able to’t see clearly by way of the heady emotions she’s experiencing. She sings “why” and sure different brief phrases with an beautiful snaking of notes which provides irresistible and really unexpectedly lovely thrives to her supply.

And along with her exact supply of the phrases, piano and acoustic guitar are matched completely round one another with their rhythms and pauses. Within the second verse a barely extra fuzzy electrical guitar will get to bop round a bit and provides to push the music alongside completely till it stops for Kirby to sing:

Face framed by hoodie like an oyster in a shell
And your eyes are rolling at me as a pair of offended pearls
You’re the prettiest mermaid within the memento store
However for those who’re coming house this late
You already know you’d higher be drunk

The article of her affections is an object. A trinket to purchase over-the-counter and personal. However one thing of the true world breaks by way of the artifice – the beloved fallibility of people. Every a part of the music appears to undermine the concept that being synthetic is okay and good.

Kirby describes herself on this complicated manner, too:

Like a barbed-wire electrical fence of character

For all her light, clear supply, I hear a number of cleverly written doubts or snags within the phrases. However this uncertainty makes the music bear repeating, identical to the fantastically genuine motion and association within the music.

In brief: this music seems like a contradiction to me and is addictive due to it.

It’s uniquely fragile and likewise highly effective. It appears certain of what it sees, however maybe ambiguous in what it feels. It has quirky preparations, and but positively will get in your head and makes you wish to strive singing together with the sunshine supply of the lyrics.

General, it’s intoxicating, catchy, and simply bloody beautiful.

Why wouldn’t that be sufficient?