Seraphim is a visionary artist who embodies the darker, more turbulent aspects of the human experience. Drawn to the avant-garde and often provocative styles of luminaries such as Young Thug, Trippie Redd, Duwap Kaine, Lil Wayne, and XXXTENTACION, Seraphim’s music navigates the stark contrasts between light and darkness, hope and despair. This enigmatic figure weaves together a diverse tapestry of influences, from the emotive, often disturbing narratives of Sematary and Yung Lean, to the genre-bending experimentation of Tyler, The Creator and the introspective, poetic lyricism of Earl Sweatshirt.
Seraphim esoteric universe is also deeply informed by the works of Glokk40spaz, Playboi Carti, Destroy Lonely’s older catalogue, And Lil Uzi Vert, as well as the boundary-pushing, atmospheric soundscapes of shoegaze pioneers like My Bloody Valentine and Loathe. Furthermore, the intense, cathartic energy of blackgaze bands such as Sadness has left an indelible mark on Seraphim’s artistic vision, which effortlessly blends the abrasive with the melancholic.
Lyrical themes in Seraphim’s music delve into the raw, unflinching exploration of depression, the fetishization of guns and violence, and the complex, often contradictory intersections of religion and existential crisis. Rosaries and biblical references serve as motifs, juxtaposed with the harsh realities of drug abuse, self-harm, and self-hatred, painting a picture of a world fraught with conflict and inner turmoil. Angels, Glocks, and drum magazines become symbols of a desperate search for salvation or escape, reflecting the artist’s preoccupation with the fragility of human existence.
The sonic backdrop for these intense, personal narratives is characterized by distortion-laden instrumentation, heavy synths, and a bass that threatens to consume all in its path. The vocals, layered and multifaceted, span a wide range of octaves, capturing the full spectrum of human emotion from the depths of sorrow to the heights of frenzied desperation. This audacious approach to sound design creates an immersive, almost overwhelming experience, drawing listeners into the vortex of Seraphim.
Despite the dark, often unsettling nature of the subject matter, there’s an undeniable sense of nostalgia that permeates Seraphim’s work, a bittersweet longing for a time or place that may never have existed. This nostalgia, intertwined with themes of harm and relatability, speaks to a universal human experience – the struggle to find meaning, connection, and solace in a chaotic, frequently cruel world.
Through Seraphim’s art, we are confronted with the mirror of our collective psyche, reflecting back at us our deepest fears, desires, and vulnerabilities. It’s a challenging, unapologetic exploration of the human condition, underscored by a sonic experimentation that is as innovative as it is unsettling. In embracing the darkness, Seraphim illuminates a path forward, one that is fraught with difficulty but also hopeful in its acknowledgment of our shared, imperfect humanity.
Lines such as “Every time I pop a pill I feel closer to God, bitch” and “Halo on me everyday but my Glock speaking sinister” encapsulate the paradox of searching for salvation amidst chaos.
Moreover, religious imagery runs deeply through Seraphim’s work, intertwining rosaries and biblical references with the gritty realities of urban existence—“I got blood on my rosary” serves as both a metaphorical and literal reminder of the scars borne from a troubled past.
As an artist, Seraphim is known to grapple with mental health issues like BPD and anxiety, which seeps into their lyrics in moments of unflinching honesty. Lines like “you’re so beautiful you make my chest hurt just from thinking about your past” and “don’t let me string you along, useless to me like the guts of a trout” reveal the artist’s struggles with self-perception and relationships.
little is known about Seraphim beyond the carefully curated layers of persona that emerge through cryptic Instagram posts. often feature an array of firearms such as AK-47s, AR-15s, Glocks, rosaries, designer clothes, and dead rotting deer heads, all rendered in blown-out color graded visuals that evoke a sense of mystery.
Captions frequently reference biblical themes and drugs, adding to the aura of cryptic intrigue surrounding the artist.
Seraphim at the forefront of a new wave of artists unafraid to confront the darkness of mental health while also celebrating the fleeting beauty of existence. Through the ethereal and the aggressive, Seraphim transforms their turmoil into anthems of resilience—an artist for those who dance on the edge of despair, yet strive for the divine.
Seraphim remains an almost faceless entity, with little known about their personal life beyond what they have chosen to share through their Instagram stories. This faceless aspect adds an intriguing complexity to the artist’s identity, allowing the music to speak louder than any personal story shared. This air of mystery only adds to the allure of their music and artistry, leaving fans to interpret and connect with their work on a deeper level.
As Seraphim continues to push the boundaries of sound and self-expression, one thing is certain: their music is a reflection of the darker aspects of human experience, and a testament to the power of art to confront and transcend even the most painful aspects of our existence.