To celebrate the release of his ‘Blue Man’ EP, Dutch musician, Cero Ismael, breaks down each track on the project for VIPER.
Spanning 8-tracks including singles ‘Darling’, ‘Missing Out’, ‘Some More Time’ and ‘Tell Me How/Birds’, ‘Blue Man’ is an honest and compelling debut that see’s Cero explore the feelings of being broken hearted and the mourning process that comes with it.
Presenting a dark, raw mix of hip hop, electronic, alternative and R&B music, every piece of music discusses the disconnection, the isolation, the missing and mourning that comes with heartbreak.
Press play on the EP and take a read…
Insane: “I’ve been too light to drown, I’ve been too small to swim” is a metaphor for always being in a conflict; trying so hard and never being good enough.
Darling: ‘Darling’ expresses my feelings about the moment you grow out of a situation or breakup, the other person would like you to be less happy than before and only checks in once in a while in the hopes you are miserable.
Dancer: Probably the most honest and vulnerable song on the EP. I have struggled with insecurities from an early age and I still struggle with this from time to time.
Intense: “I search for grip, but somehow I just end up always losing it.” I’ve found it hard to stay consistent and find balance in life. For some reason I do not seem to find middle ground. I wish I could find a middle way.
Some More Time: “If you and I been running through my mind, then why is it that hard getting behind?” Reflecting on a summer spent with my love, wondering why I cannot let go. Longing for more summer time as summer makes life feel more perfect.
Missing Out: On ‘Missing Out’ I reflect on disconnection and the missing between two loved ones. Both started with a new phase in their life but can’t be together anymore.”
Tell Me How and Birds were originally two separate tracks, but I decided to merge them to create ‘Tell Me How/Birds’ as it just felt right. Both songs were written in the same head space and came out of a dialogue that I was having with myself. I’m spiralling down between living on temporary highs, getting lost in the laws of attraction and the unavoidable ending of toxic love.
Discontent: Spending hours reminiscing on what could have been, counting all the losses and trying to understand how the outcome could’ve been different.
Photo by Mayte Breed
