Words by: Sam Walker-Smart
With BRAT Summer officially over, it is time to hunker down with more meditative tunes for the fall season, and you better believe CONE has you covered. We thought a cinematic ambient record, finished in a cabin by Scottish lochs, perfectly fits the bill. Joy Paradox is the debut album by Indian-born, UK-raised electronica artist Cephas Azariah. After studying Music Theology, Azariah has been composing soundtracks for films, now marrying his experience in that storytelling format with the neo-classical elements in his solo work. The result is a calmative listen that encapsulates 30 years of life.
With a meticulous ear for detail and a piano sourced from Facebook Marketplace, Azariah has created 12 stellar tracks to get lost in. From the glitchy opening notes of “Recompose,” the album forces you to slow down. This song, along with the title track, focuses on the process of realignment, highlighting how success can be joyful yet often comes via significant suffering. Having moved from India at age 10, Azariah connects deeply with this theme, navigating the challenges of saying goodbye to one culture to adapt and thrive in another.
Never too sparse or overly atmospheric, Joy Paradox is an album that rewards repeat listens. On the highlight track, “Kintsugi” the songwriter subtly adds the sound of a broken ceramic bowl beneath the track’s bouncing melodies. This water element then bleeds into “Contours,” where cellist Weslley Coppe elevates the motif from “Kintsugi” to a new captivating level. It’s compelling work that easily dodges the common curse that befalls ambient music—being boring.
On “Mellowness Of The Heart” and “A Prologue For Winter,” Azariah creates something gentle yet massive in scope. Both tracks possess an almost sci-fi element, giving the impression that the listener is a tiny speck in a beautiful but indifferent galaxy. The album masterfully jumps from a sense of awe to something reflective and insular, which is what makes it shine.
With this project, Cephas aims to create a body of work that is simultaneously autobiographical, philosophical, and spiritual. And he has nailed it with remarkable skill and self-assuredness. It’s a record about making peace with who you are in a diverse world and highlights how people from different cultural backgrounds navigate life at an intersection. For listeners, it offers an engrossing journey—an introspective place not tarnished by melancholy or overwrought messaging.
Azariah recognizes that we live in a chaotic world, and to truly unwind, it’s essential to have a thread and a story to follow. In these mad days, we may feel like we’re trying to find our place. That’s the universal message throughout the album. If life’s stresses are dragging you down, grab a hot beverage, lay back, and immerse yourself in Joy Paradox. It’s a gem.