Lolina – Live In Paris

A monopoly board beams onto a multi-screen projection around Lolina (current moniker of Inga Copeland) as she performs her new album Live In Paris, released as a 36 minute long video. Previously one half of Hype Williams alongside Dean Blunt, the album is perhaps best understood as a critique of a city that can at times parody a playground of socio-economic obstacles vacant from discordant identities.

But the city isn’t Paris. In fact, little is really known about this album apart from it being performed and recorded in the city of London, a city in which Inga Copeland seems deeply embedded in the soundscape. She almost represents it until we remember the Estonian-Russian artist has an outsider status. Her perspective of London comes from the searching senses of immigration.

A shaky camera follows her journey onto the stage as she replays ‘Lolina’ and ‘Relaxx’ from last year’s Relaxin’ With Lolina release, whilst the projections draw us into the imaginary London that emerges from monopoly – one of wealth, opportunities, purchasing power and movement. As the album progresses it becomes more disjointed, the chord progressions start disintegrating, cow bells enter the piece and the visuals burst into flames. It’s hard not to see this as an expression of fear and uncertainty in the midst of Brexit debates, but, as with all the arts, emotion, pain, and doubt can translate into something beautiful. Lolina takes her shattered pieces of a city and builds it into a lo-fi masterpiece.

Tracklist:

1. Lolina (In Concert) feat. Audience
2. Live in Paris
3. Time in EU
4. Chance
5. Rage
6. Last Days Of Being A Wanker
7. Wheel Up My Tune!
8. I Am Your Ambient Wife Live
9. 2nd Chance
10. The Logic
11. Relaxx (Live)

You can see Inga Copeland (Lolina) live at Muziekgebouw aan de Ring at De School, Amsterdam on Thursday, 23 June. Entrance is free for Subbacultcha members.