Count The Clock, the Los Angeles-based art-pop project of songwriter Michael Coe, releases “Ballerina Song” on July 31st, the latest single featuring vocalist Leannie. The track arrives ahead of the project’s first full album, expected later in 2026.
“Ballerina Song” opens with a nice drum pattern before settling into a dreamy, waltz-like atmosphere that is easy to get lost in. Leannie’s voice is a genuine highlight; it is melodic, carrying the track with a charm that keeps you engaged even when the production stays relatively understated. The song has a nostalgic quality to it, the kind of track that feels like a half-remembered moment rather than a fully formed one, which works in its favor more often than not.
To me, the song circles around a recurring question. “How can I define this time,” and that repetition gives the track a meditative quality. There are images of photographs and distances and someone slowly slipping out of reach, intimate and abstract in equal measure, that make great lyricism.
It is a cute, pleasant listen, though it does not fully grab you from start to finish. For a project that draws from shoegaze, baroque pop, and outsider music, there is a lot of interesting sonic territory to explore, and “Ballerina Song” hints at the potential without fully stepping into it. Still, Leannie’s vocal performance alone makes it worth a listen, and with a debut album on the way, Count The Clock is a project worth keeping an eye on.
Written by Anthony Perez
