Helena Deland Shares Entrancing New Single “Pale” Ahead of LP Release
Helena Deland has released the fourth single from her upcoming album, due out this Friday. “Pale” brings with it an unsettling aura and melancholic undertone that will grab your attention and draw you in, as Deland’s smooth vocals invite you into her world. Similar in style to artists such as Grime and St. Vincent, there’s a well orchestrated combination of ethereal synth-pop and guitar reminiscent of Deland’s previous releases.
The Montréal based artist shares that “Pale” is about the little space left to the actual self in romantic relationships where idealization comes into play.” Guided by clever rhythmic changes and a funky synth hook, a catchy beat gives an unexpected juxtaposition that adds to the overall mood of the song, and leaves listeners wondering if everything is as it seems.
The second verse adds to the evocativeness of the single, as Deland describes how “When the night rolls in / a tongue that holds me softly / I’ll melt into sleep / and then am told a different story.” Expertly blending classic folk with pop synth, the track is a sound uniquely Deland’s that will stick with listeners long past the final chord. The visualizer adds to ‘Pale’s’ mystique – featuring a stream, Deland says that “the stream…represents the questions of control when control is ultimately impossible.”
A departure from previous releases, which featured a softer, more tentative approach to her music, the singles from her upcoming album have a more mature, haunting sound to them. ‘Pale’ in particular takes a more introspective approach, examining the interpersonal through a corporeal lens; something you can hear from the first line of the track, as Deland relays that ‘Spending this much time / In my naked body’s / not making it familiar to me.’
Having previously released an EP, Drawing Room, in 2016 and a four volume collection of songs titled Altogether Unaccompanied, Vols. I-IV, Deland’s debut album is highly anticipated. Coming together over the course of two years, Someone New is an exploration of gender, power, time and the ‘self’ that shows the artist in full control of her style and sound – even as she questions whether control is ever possible. “Pale” is the fourth single to be released from Someone New, set for release October 16th. You can listen to the track below, with the accompanying visualizer, now.
