Agonizingly Beautiful: myah – ‘flames’ Review

Words: Jude Lowry

‘flames’ by myah is here to upset us and we’re here to be upset.

‘flames’ encapsulates the act of caring for someone who has given up on themselves. In turn, by caring for this person, you can become consumed by their helplessness, helplessness that, if expressed, could lead to the relationship falling apart. In this 3-minute excursion into sombre, it becomes clear that the speaker would rather torch a part of themselves, if it means protecting a fragmented sense of happiness.

The vocals throughout highlight an agonizing feeling of trying to hold on, beautifully but painfully contrasting the strength of the relationship with the unfortunate circumstances that have led to its end. Lines such as ‘You are all the things I wanted’ and ‘I can feel your heart beatin’ add to this feeling of upset as there is a heartbreaking feeling that the speaker can save what is being lost. It is only at the line ‘Embers on the ground I can’t deny it’ that loss becomes inescapable. Sadly, the speaker never let’s go, consumed in a phoenix of hurt that overwhelms everyone involved.

There is a tragic beauty captured in myah’s sadness, perhaps highlighting protection at any cost as its most critical element. Similarly to ‘Moon Song’ by Phoebe Bridgers or ‘No Surprises’ by Radiohead, ‘flames’ marries its emotion with its numbness extraordinarily. myah’s subdued vocals and tranquil mixing satisfies this idea, creating a truly beautiful and charming piece.

Stream ‘flames’ below.