Memories of Flying by Ingrid Chavez | Album Review
Ingrid Chavez returns with her trademark poetry in this ambient, electronic release.
Ingrid Chavez has cultivated her mixture of spoken word/sung artistry since the turn of the 1990s. Discovered by Prince, one of Chavez’s most landmark pieces is the song “Justify My Love” by Madonna. Unfortunately, the song was given to Madonna without adding Ingrid to the song’s credits. After a legal battle, she was able to get the royalties and recognition that she rightly deserved. In 1991, she released her debut album May 19 1992. This would finally give us a taste of the unique poetic quality of Chavez’s work. After years of waiting, Ingrid finally released her third album, Memories of Flying in 2019. The project is a blend of her trademark spoken word/sung textures alongside atmospheric electronic sounds and ambient field samples to provide the perfect backdrop to her words.
The album opens with the soothing sounds of the title track “Memories of Flying”. What I appreciate so much about her work is the atmosphere she creates for each song. You are immediately enveloped by this meditative space of ambient bird sounds, luscious keys, and the soft mix of her backing harmonies. Ingrid casts the image of a man trapped by his vices and afraid to face his fears, “Nothing really matters/ If you don’t want to face/ The depth of your fears/ Memories of flying/ Now you’re just running/ Afraid to commit/ Afraid to be loved.” The woman he turns to wants to heal him by having him confront these demons. Chavez's honey vocals bring both a sensuality and tenderness to this story.
“All the Love in the World” continues this cool wash of sound. The song completely takes me back to the smooth and soulful pop tracks of the early 1990s. Ingrid keeps the track fresh-sounding with its pulsing marimba, purring bass, and effervescent production. She leans much more into her breathy vocal style here. Chavez pours forth a feeling of compassion as she lifts you from your sullen, lonely state, “You have gold inside of you/ It shines through the hard times/ I can see your light my dear/ So believe me when I say/ You deserve all the love in the world/ All of the love in the world.” She leaves you in a very comforting place in this uplifting track.
We bring back the immersive field sounds on “Snow-Blind”. Here, we’re fully immersed in the cold crunch of walking in snow that dissolves into the bubbling tones of synth pads and dramatic bass drone. There’s just a subtle electronic quality that brings depth to this white-cast environment. Here, Ingrid is struck by the intensity of lustful passion. She absolutely burns with longing as she sings, “The devil stole my soul/ And I don’t want it back/ I say the devil stole my soul/ And I don’t want it back/ He’s on my lips/ He’s in my head.” The hold they have over each other has them both blinded by seduction.
“You Gave Me Wings” brings back the meditative quality through its jingling bells and sultry spoken introduction. This opens with a soft cerulean glow as the keys and synth strings come in. The trip-hop flavor really brings something magical to this track. Chavez pins a tribute to friend and mentor Prince after his passing. You can feel her continued reverence for the connection they shared as she thanks him for bringing her dreams to light, “You gave me wings to fly/ I gave you songs to sing/ I gave you my words (I gave you my words)/ You brought them to life (You brought them to life)/ Time stood still for a little while every time I saw you smile.” It’s a touching moment that celebrates the memories they shared.
“Light Rays” has a much more intimate feeling. The textures of this song really bring the smoldering energy to the surface. Ingrid uses only the shimmer of an electronic sample, subtle vocal effects, synth strings, and the hum of bass to charge the piece with the sizzle of passion. This sound works well with the intimacy she effuses into her words. She celebrates her lover's emotional openness at this moment, “I can see the whole of you/ Shining through/ It makes me want to give you the world/ It makes me want to give you my words/ That’s just how you make me feel/ In the blue-grey of you.” In seeing all of them, she only wants to dive further in and relish in the beauty of their whole being.
We drift off into space sonically on “Into the Blue”. The blips and beeps on this song really bring this outer space sensation to the forefront. The amalgamation of its trippy electronic sounds makes for quite a soothing listen. Chavez’s voice has such a calming nature to it here. When paired with Ingrid’s calming words, “To close your eyes/ And remember/ How it feels to fly, fly, fly/ Do you remember,” it takes you to a place of warmth and nurturing. This is only blustered by her direction to find your inner peace and bring it forth.
“Gold in Its Way” has a bit more of a soulful R&B sound to it. This marries so well with Ingrid’s gentle vocal caress. The soft hums of trumpets and amorphous synths really add to the vibe. This soundscape washes us with a feeling of relaxation as Ingrid paints the image of a calm autumn day, “It’s the last day of October/ So look outside you/ Look outside/ The leaves are golden/ And they’re waving goodbye/ The sky is deep blue/ And the sun is warm, warm.”She uses this image to soothe us from our sorrows. The imagery and instrumentation both bring out this emotion wonderfully.
“I Wonder You” brings us back into an electronic landscape. This track feels the most synthetic out of all the others on this album. Something about the wub of the synth bass takes me out of the song a bit. Lyrically, Ingrid continues to show her writing prowess through her internal struggle with longing for someone who is completely wrong for her, “Some things are better left unsaid…/ Lyrics/ Everything about you/ I know I should/ Stay away from/ Because nothing about you is good for me.” While I think Chavez’s writing is lovely, I don’t gel with the song sonically. This is the weakest song on the album for me.
Chavez takes on a haunting atmosphere in “Calling Out the Thunder”. The hollow piano melody and dark synth strings bring a sense of tension to the song. She also incorporates more spoken verses into this track to give it more drama. Ingrid calls back to the resilience of her younger self as she channels this energy to bolster her resolve. It’s an acknowledgment that sometimes we have to pull ourselves out of the mires of our own darkness, “When the day is through/ I’m the only one/ Who can call out the thunder/ I’m the only one/ Who can break this spell/ I’m under/ I’m the only one.” Like all her work on this album, it comes off encouraging and compassionate.
“Let the Healing Begin” returns the rich ambient textures of the earlier portion of the album. The rippling synths, horns, and pulsing bass give the song a brassy hue. Ingrid’s vocals come off satin-like against this treatment. Ingrid’s ability to write reassuring mantras continues here as she reminds us that tomorrow is a new day. She gives us the space to mourn our losses and begin to mend our mental/emotional wounds, “Tomorrow/ It’s a new day/ It’s a new day/ So let the healing begin/ Let the healing begin.” This comes together like a warm embrace.
The album closes with the earthy feeling of “Driving to the End of a Dream”. The glimmer of flutes and drone of synths almost puts you in a trace. Sonically, it feels like a warm spring breeze shuffling sunlight through newly sprouted leaves. This dream-like setting mirrors Chavez’s mindset as she drives through the night to her next destination, “I drove through the night/ And Into the day/ Like I was driving/ To the end of a dream/ And when I saw the light/ I knew I was awake/ And it was good.” Ingrid calls forth a feeling of being absolved by this new day and location. It’s a beautiful way to close out this project.
Chavez’s sultry sound continues to impress me as I dive deeper into her discography. Her sultry voice works incredibly well with the atmosphere of this project. I really like the more ambient nature of this album. I think it really suits the overall mood that she is going for. Ingrid clearly has a knack for poetry. Her nurturing lyricism really makes this whole album feel very comforting from start to finish. Even in its most sultry moments, it comes off as compassionate and inviting. Though I didn’t connect with the sound of “I Wonder You”, I loved the overall feeling of this album. Chavez is more than just the writer of “Justify My Love” and a Prince protege, she’s an artist with a unique style that deserves to be experienced. I think anyone who enjoys soft electronic music with a poetic flair will nestle in nicely into this album. My overall breakdown of Memories of Flying:
Loved it: “All the Love in the World ”, “Snow-Blind”, “You Gave Me Wings”, “Light Rays”, “Into the Blue”, “Let the Healing Begin” & Driving to the End of a Dream”
Liked it: “Memories of Flying”, “Gold in Its Way” & “Calling Out the Thunder”
Disliked it: “I Wonder You”
My overall rating: 7.5 out of 10.
