Like a blend of Beirut, Patrick Wolf, Joan As Police Woman, and Conor Oberst, the new tune from Phantom Pink (the musical pseudonym of Los Angeles-based artist Brayton Walls) is a dark, arty, tense, almost sexy slice of indie/art pop.
There’s a hell of a lot going on. There’s emotion aplenty, dreamlike vibes, sentiment delivered through what sounds like gritted teeth, a palpable sense of tension, vivid picture painting, and a sort of overarching dramatic neo-baroque style.
There are theatrical highs and dramatic lows, ripping guitar tones, a surprise ukulele, percussive plucking, persistent piano, sing-along moments, and a gothic undertone throughout.
The Czech New Wave really is a startling piece of work with something for everyone – clearly the product of someone who has mastered their craft (which makes sense as Walls started songwriting at 10 years old).
His debut full-length album, Gothika, is due out later this year.
Written by Kinda Grizzly
