A heartful, somber journey of love and loss
Micah Visser, known as Boniface, is a Winnipeg based singer-songwriter whose debut album is a truly sophisticated ’80s pop-inspired piece of music. With the help of producer Neil Comber, known for his work with Charli XCX and Glass Animals, the singer’s self-titled album, Boniface, takes a self-discovering journey through 12 tracks. Visser takes listeners through a series of personal stories and heartfelt tales that could be mistaken for diary entries.
The album opens with “Waking Up in Suburbia,” a piano ballad that lets Visser explain that the hope we have inside is ever-fleeting, it is our job to hold on to hope or let it fade. “Dear Megan” is a true ’80s dance track. With a recurring theme of having to leave friends or loved ones behind, Visser breathlessly exclaims his plans of moving to LA. The heavy synths and the upbeat tempo are sure to get stuck in anyone’s head. “Oh My God” continues the ’80s dance party as Visser sings over echoing beats and sings about his closest friendships.
Boniface finds its rock charged songs in “Ghosts” and “Wake Me Back Up.” Guitar riffs and mesmerizing drums make for great pop anthems. The end of the album finds itself trying to come to peace with loss and love. “Stay Home” is a critical point for Visser. The singer allows true sorrow to shine through the lyrics, “They say that Jesus has a plan for us/ bit it seems sloppy to me/ growing up thinking you can fall apart/ now you’re tearing at the seams.” The album ends with “Making Peace With Suburbia,” where we saw Visser at the beginning of the album is where we find the singer at the end exhausted and drained from the tracks before. With similar lyrics to the opener, the track is a closing statement to Visser’s inner thoughts. The somber start to the album seems to find its end in the closing track and leaves the listener with plenty to think about.
Musically, Boniface is simple with complex twists and turns that can be heard from time to time. The most remarkable thing about Boniface is that it sounds like a pop album through and through but has the lyrics of a well-seasoned musical veteran. The heart and soul found in each song and the story like narrative are what makes Boniface an album to listen to over and over.
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