“The Arsonist” is the third single released by London-based Cherry i. The band are meticulously curating a discography of atmospheric songs that seem forever on the verge of buckling under emotional pressure. You can hear lead vocalist Nikol tremble as they belt out a song steeped in the trauma of war and displacement, while the lead guitarist Nastya and bassist Slava craft a dark, swirling vortex of sound that feels like a storm brewing just beneath the surface. Their instrumentation is both haunting and cinematic, mirroring the internal chaos and moodiness portrayed in the lyrics.
At the heart of “The Arsonist” lies a surreal, politically charged narrative inspired by current events. The opening line, “God saved the arsonist,” suggests that even those who ignite destruction can be shielded by divine or institutional power. This moral inversion sets the tone for a song that refuses easy answers. The figure of the arsonist is then “hidden in the memories of a dog,” an almost dreamlike act of concealment that shifts the focus from historical fact to instinctual remembrance, as if violence survives not in official records but in the subconscious of witnesses (“atavistic dreams“). Mentioning Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, and submarines, vehicles almost exclusively associated with war, Cherry i is not shy about their inspiration and message behind the track.
By threading these surreal, loaded images and metaphors through a turbulent sonic landscape, Cherry i create a statement song that exists in an emotional environment. “The Arsonist” engulfs the listener, burning slowly through themes of loss, defiance, collective memory, and the aching desire for home. If you like what you hear below, be sure to check out their previously released tracks “Alaska” and “Fragile Man.”
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