Bacchanalia Magazine

by Reb Jordin

Lost in Translation, a Manchester based band which fuses pop, rock and funk to create the perfect blend for listeners to feast on, released their second single ‘RAMONA’ on May 1st . ‘RAMONA’ is a song of desperate longing for either the person you love back or the closure that comes with realising they’ll never be yours again.

The single opens with a punchy drumbeat and a satisfying guitar riff mixed perfectly with the relentless bass and frontman Tom Bellerby’s gravely vocals. Standout lyrics from the first verse are, ‘the ink won’t disappear unless I’ve got you near’ which convey to the listener everything feeling so right when you and the person you love are together that despair creeps in whenever they leave. This person has tainted your soul to the point where you only feel whole when in their presence.

The chorus bursts the single open in a kaleidoscope of pelting drums and a shredding
electric guitar amplifying the emotion behind the words making the song even more gut-wrenching. The lyrics, ‘Ramona, how I would have loved to get to know you, or at least find me some closure’ present being broken by the loss of someone you thought you saw a future with. However, there will always be a what if so you’ll forever be waiting for someone so heartachingly unattainable that you refuse to let yourself heal.

‘RAMONA’ calms again into the second verse which houses the lyrics, ‘I want to move on but you’re haunting me.’ This moment reflects how this person will always be in the back of your mind, casting a shadow over your future with anyone else as they possess all your happiest memories.

The chorus breaks the listener’s heart once again with the lyrics, ‘now I’m alone and drunk, all my excuses are anchored and sunk.’ Here, Lost in Translation paints the picture of not being able to explain why you are heartbroken as the relationship never fully existed, although the feelings behind the love affair were always real so you can’t help but grieve this person for what they were in your life and what they took from you when they left.

Soon listeners are blessed with a killer guitar solo, broken up by a pounding drum which match the frustration fuelled energy of the song perfectly. Listeners can’t help but feel the song completely when they hear the vulnerability of the lyrics paired with the powerful music they just want to dance in a crowded concert venue too. The single evokes the need to scream your angers at the world whether that be singing along in the car or in the crowd at one of their electric gigs. Lost in Translation perfectly encapsulates the catharsis every listener craves within this carefully crafted song.

So go and give ‘RAMONA’ a listen now and experience Lost in Translation’s incredible talent for yourself. Also be sure to check out their other single ‘i hope you know’ and catch them at one of their concerts to hear their work in all its glory.