Just a giver who got a taste of taking instead, sings the enigmatic Andrew Muller. Recording under the name Viiola Bloom, Muller’s style and ravishing sound in his new track “Break! (My Heart)” takes the listener in-and-around a journey of dazzling electronic pop and idyllic drum fills. Imprinting the listener with his thick, bass voice, Muller’s single asks the listener to decide if the song is about love, or is it about the person we mask to be something else?

URL: https://viiolabloom.com/

That’s one interpretation. It’s hard to say. I think that’s one of the main things I enjoyed most about this song. Viiola Bloom provides ample ebb and flow with its astonishingly prevalent electronic keys and the equally addictive drum machine. As a listener, I had to actually go back and listen to the words the second time because the first time I was transfixed by the swift keys and the emitting emotions. Muller’s music bed gives off the impression of controlled chaos and a confetti of synth, keys and bopping tones. If you weren’t feeling like you were going back to the 80s and returning to the 2020s to re-invent the 80s, then maybe you’re listening to it wrong.

When Muller sings, his voice could rival Sam Elliot, he casts a shadow. At first I thought the cadence was a bit slow, or that I was listening to it wrong (I’ve done that before, don’t laugh). He nearly hypnotizes the listener with his brooding delivery. There’s something pensive and sensual about his voice that is undeniably unique. Brittle and rusted, broke all my customs, it went right, right, right into my soul, turned it on its head, he sings. The prose is a bit hard to glean at first, but as I mentioned, by the second listen, I was completely invested. Break from my heart these desires, he sings, as if he’s letting go of years of being imprisoned by this love. I think this song takes a toll on his heart, and I think it created a bigger cave than he imagined it would in re-visiting these feelings.

I also thinks that he’s facing himself in the mirror. He’s letting go of things he used to love, and wants to break away from the feeling of being tethered to something he doesn’t really love anymore. What is so amazing about this song, besides his Dracula-level blood thirsty vocals, is that he creates such a bright music bed. The backing music is fun and peppy. If you only listen to his vocals you might think it’s a goth song, but it’s far from it. This has touching moments – heartfelt moments that are created within the music bed’s fabric. Viiola Bloom powers through and creates tendrils of light and darkness. It’s a constant balance and that in-between is what makes it so satisfying as a listener.

“Break! (My Heart)” is a fantastic track. It’s unexpectedly original and sends the listener down a path a la choose your own adventure. It can mean whatever you want it to be. For me, it’s means a solid choice.

John McCall