…give you what I’ve got, RIKI Marigold

RIKI Gold LP is available for pre-order/save at Bandcamp, Rough Trade, Dais Records.

by Walter Price

The heyday of synth-pop hit its seminal stride in the early to mid-80s and, as you know, many a music maker with the gear have tried to emulate that magical era, to varying degrees of success, I must say. But if you’re a diehard fan of that hallowed time such as I am, then look no further than the recent single “Marigold” from West Coast song crafter RIKI.

This is a track that is true to the core of what progressive FM and college radio was playing during the nighttime hours back in the day. When Prince and Madonna couldn’t feed the hunger of the artsy post-punk club crowds, DJs would have fresh tracks by Strawberry Switchblade, Propaganda, Anything Box, and the like just a spin away. It was a glorious time, indeed. And RIKI pays all the earnest respect with this new one.

Brooding and poetic, the lyrics are dark and sexually charged. And, let’s just say, very open to interpretation…

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You say,
Honey, you’re a flower you don’t need to be shy
shaking hot and cold, no shame do you, you like your colors bold, oh
Heaven’s all around you when you look me in the eye
When you’re pouring overworking, I’ll make it my luck that you never run low before I fill your cup

Baby, with every breath
I’ve got your name on my tongue
It never lets me rest
Until I have you in my arms
I’ve got you wild, alright
He really turns me on
To give you what I’ve got
Like it’ll never come down…

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Ambiguity has been a staple in pop music since its inception but you have to admit, that the decadence of the 1980s did it best. Remember those songs by Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Dead or Alive, and Romeo Void, yeah, you do, you once confused musicophile.

The accompanying music video, directed by Muted Widows, is another retro nod to the glamorous days when MTV ruled many Saturday night shindigs. Replete with a Jean-Paul Gaultier-style coned bustier, dripping with diamonds, jelled lenses, and plenty silhouettes. It’s a marvel to see.

“Marigold” is taken from the forthcoming ‘Gold’ LP, expected on November 26, 2021, via Dais Records. But before you pre-order the hotly anticipated album, take the single for a stream and see the music video as well, here at the GTC.

RIKI Marigold

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“West coast new romantic icon Riki returns with her 2nd simulacrum of pitch-perfect synth-pop, aptly titled for the precious substance it is: Gold. Inspired by notions of symbolic power, letting go, and transmutable realms of the heart, the album further refines her rare gift for making swooning melancholia as anthemic as it atmospheric. Working with Telefon Tel Aviv co-founder Josh Eustis at his Pasadena studio, the sessions unfolded fluidly and fruitfully, focusing on “quieter moments” and refining the record’s palette and voice. Occasional interruption from a nearby flock of wild parrots infused a mood of California dreaming, purple sunsets dissolving into deepening neon night.” – bio

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