Swirling down a dark digital drain, Red Ribbon (songwriter Emma Danner) pulls us into her universe (and her opinions on it) with her latest tracks “Document” and “The Taker”. “Document” deals with the idea of history and how its focus is usually on falsified accounts that prop up strange figures, while the truth that is created and shared of one’s own experience is often never discovered or acknowledged.
Of the track the artist states, “So much of history is erased and what we’re left with is the veneration of figures who purchased their historical memory through acts of power, money and violence,” she explains. “It’s strange then that as individuals we still privately record our own experiences through photographs or written accounts. What is the purpose of documenting oneself in a world where history is distorted? Why do we create these records when in all likelihood they will evaporate into nothingness? What is recorded is rarely what happened.”
I think this concept and conversation is particularly interesting in an age where even our own personal documentation can be an alteration of the truth — that photos and words shared on public platforms can often be a curated version of a person versus the authentic one that is left tucked inside our notebook or iphone notes app.
“The Taker” is almost otherworldly as Danner coos ritualistically amongst a symphony of flutes. While it’s a concise offering with the two songs, Red Ribbon has created an entire atmosphere for her listeners to delve into — one that is dark and mysterious, but also strangely comforting.
You can keep up with Red Ribbon on Spotify, Instagram, and Facebook
