Envvy – Heavenly Circus
Artist: Envvy
Title: Heavenly Circus
Label: Sulphuric Darkness
Release date: January 22nd, 2025
Country: Poland
Format reviewed: High-quality digital recording
“Heavenly Circus” is an experimental EP by Polish artist Jakub Lisicki, released under the project Envvy. The album’s paradoxical title suggests a fusion of contrasting dimensions, hinting at an interplay between black and white. The monochrome cover art is minimalistic, featuring a woman dressed in traditional Japanese attire, her hair styled accordingly, set against a stark white background. The use of white, along with the angelic wings, emphasizes the character’s purity, possibly symbolizing divinity. At the same time, her black-painted eyes introduce an eerie contrast, suggesting an underlying darkness. A striking detail is her hands typically symbols of strength and protection replaced by a weapon. This paradoxical imagery blends the notions of savior and warrior, presenting an angelic figure in an unexpected and perhaps ironic form.
The album opens with silence, only to be shattered moments later by an aggressive, jarring soundscape. “An Angel Without a Mouth” conveys the absence of communication—an ironic twist, considering that angels are traditionally seen as messengers. A repetitive voice pleads, “Let me hear your voice,” yet the angel remains voiceless. Without a mouth, how can it speak? How can it be heard? The harsh sonic textures express the frustration of an entity trapped in silence, creating a deeply unsettling experience. The title track, “Heavenly Circus”, introduces a different sonic palette, incorporating what resembles the Japanese koto, evoking a haunting atmosphere. As eerie spoken word narration emerges, interwoven with drone sounds, a chilling tension builds. The lyrics depict oppression and dehumanization an unsettling contrast to the seemingly celestial title. “Butterfly in a Box” presents a metaphor of captivity. The butterfly, a universal symbol of transformation and hope, finds itself confined within a box. Though the lyrics describe it as a “beautiful box,” the underlying message is clear—without freedom, beauty becomes meaningless. No matter how adorned the prison, captivity stifles all hope.
“MALFORMED IN BEAUTY” critiques the manipulation of human perception, where false values are imposed, distorting reality. The track builds an atmospheric soundscape, gradually blending the voice into its layers. As it progresses, the vocals transform into monstrous, distorted screams, culminating in the haunting question: “Do you hear the screams of your monsters?” The final track, “The Four Chants of Ayakasi”, maintains the album’s signature atmospheric and eerie soundscape. However, it forges a strong connection between its lyrics and the cover art. The phrase “A new beginning” may symbolize the purity of the white background, while “Creation’s hand” evokes imagery of protection perhaps an ironic nod to the handless figure on the cover. Ultimately, the song offers a glimmer of hope with the words “Bound to mankind,” suggesting a promise of returning the humanity.
“Heavenly Circus” masterfully weaves together contradictory concepts, mirroring the paradoxical nature of reality itself a world where opposing forces coexist in constant tension. The album’s blend of experimental noise, eerie atmospheres, and philosophical lyricism challenges listeners to confront themes of silence, suppression, and distorted reality inviting them to question the world around them. 8/10 by Pegah
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