Bella Kelly can admit that music saved her life. The dark angel spreads her wings in the new video for her song Heartbreak Motel. Bella has the haunting melancholy appeal of Lana Del Rey and Tori Amos, paired with the dark pop stylings of Billie Eilish and a taste of art pop a la Bjork. The music is strong on its own, but much like Bjork and Amos, when paired with her affinity for new goth style and alternative fashion, lifted by the imagery to transform the perception of the artist and her craft. The video has some difficult themes, showing two lovers fighting as well as a bruised Bella. It’s highlighted by great costumes, a romantic color palette, and believable performances by the actors, but none more magnifying than Bella. Describing herself as “a small child who was “othered,” unequipped to connect and make friends,” Bella is now an empowered goth angel, and her infection is undeniable.
Because is rare and mysterious. Paired with her elite musical talent, her dark attraction adds to her otherworldly aura. Her power and confidence would intimidate most potential lovers, and with catchy melodies she makes a bid to be our new dark pop Princess. To put it simply, this is what we call Star Power. It’s the full gamut pandered by A&R and publicists abound, the full package. Bella has it all, the music, the look, the attitude, and elite pose in front of the camera. But this isn’t learned behavior, this is earned behavior. Bella is the real thing, she paid her dues, got pulled through the mud as a child, her innocence taken from her. This is authentic, and we get to embrace her art and celebrate how she triumphed in the throes of adversity. This is her gift, to the broken, the scarred, the hurt. That they might be inspired by her magnitude, that they might embrace this new slogan; don’t become them, make them wish they could become you.
Hear Heartbreak Motel now on our Women Of Trip Hop playlist.
London based alt pop artist Julie Hicklin teamed up with producer Fay on her new song It Should Be Me. Hicklin’s vocal is erotic and seductive. It’s the kind of clap back that makes it hard to imagine who could have inspired It Should Be Me. Opening with the lyric “take it down, take it deep,” Hicklin is unapologetically dirty out the gate. The downtempo groove provided by Fay recalls the indie pop leanings of other Trip Hop alums Smoke City, and combined with Hicklin’s thirsty vocal makes this a sure fire add to your erotic pop playlist.
Julie has spent some time as an underground trip hop favorite, but she has all the whispery prowess and dynamic vocal skills for mainstream crossover appeal. Her productions are complete with emotive musical movements, interesting chord changes, and Julie’s transformative vocals. She can provide a convincing solo vocal or stack her voice to make a haunting chorus effect, and she is effective in how she deploys her melodies. The result is dreamy and hypnotic, reminiscent of artists like Emika and Goldfrapp.
As an artist personality, Julie flows between two worlds as an elegant fashionista and robotized sex symbol. It’s a fitting correlation between the electronic essence of her productions and her natural vocal. Hicklin is plugged in to our new artificial world, entirely aware of both its possibilities and limitations. In that way she embraces the eastern philosophy of duality. Good and evil, happiness and suffering, and on It Should Be Me – Sex and Love.
Enjoy It Should Be Me now on our Women Of Trip Hop playlist.
Oslo based duo Temperature Falls make dark electronic sounding trip hop in the spirt of Grimes and Bjork’s industrial phase. Mixing in live instrumentation including guitars and bass gives their songs lively in the room presence. The deep moving bass lines are reminiscent of Paz Lenchantin who famously contributed to A Perfect Circle’s iconic Mer De Noms. Temperature Falls has some of that orchestral goth sound in their arrangement, but more devoted to traditional industrial atmospheres. Trippy production and lo fi aesthetics add to the sci-fi aura. On their new single Hide they dig deeper into their dark pop leanings. The downtempo glitchy groove and experimental arrangement earns accolades to it’s composer. This is a producer who knows how to see outside the box. You could possibly grab your acoustic and derive some version of this song, a testament to the strong catchy vocal melody layers, but Temperature Falls has dark magic, and they know how to use it.
In their press release the duo admits that the song is about having to make a hard choice when your dealing with mental health issues. Like regretful voyeurs Temperature Falls captures our obsession with the vulnerable, especially when they are beautiful. There’s something sexy about someone beautiful who is broken. It’s resulted in the glamorization of things like Suicide Girls. Once considered alternative, this movement has slowly been adopted by the mainstream. We can no longer deny that this dark industrial pop is beautiful, and Temperature Falls are masters of the game. They are equal parts sexy and scary, and that combination gives their project crossover appeal.
Enjoy Hide now on our Women Of Trip Hop playlist.
The project De Antiquis Et Novis connects musicians from Asia and Europe, creating infectious collaborations like the new single Bruises. Using a vast array of vintage and modern synthesizers, keyboards, and a sizzling female vocal, Bruises brings a sultry mood altering downtempo vibe.
Bruises is full of sex appeal and ASMR affect, as the hazy vocal gets under your skin. De Antiquis Et Novis channels the Thievery Corporation and Beats Antique as they marry downtempo, jazz, and EDM. Additionally, the catchy disco style synth lead that comes out of the vocal section harkens to the indie soul of bands like Rhye, it has a reflective haunting quality with R&B sensibility.
The track is complete with ethereal atmospheric vocal layers, all to pull you deeper into the hypnotic dream world as the singer recalls phrases in repetition. Occasionally the lyrics vary to let you deeper into her psyche, dropping soft revelations like hints into what inspired this moment. This trance compels the imagination and draws imagery and desire. What’s it all about? That’s your part in this exchange, De Antiquis Et Novis is the auditory drug that gets you there.
Hear Bruises now on our Women Of Trip Hop playlist.
The Wild Is Calling 