Former Hot Chip and Kano vocalist Valentina releases ‘Deadweight.’ the second single from her upcoming EP – ‘All Are Lost’ set to release December this year.
‘Deadweight’ invites the listener into the soothing vocals of Valentina, partnered with electronic drums and synths that evoke a floating-like atmosphere. Shimmery pads glimmer in the chorus of the song while the synth-bass parallels the rhythm of the vocals. The instrumentation is centered around a repetitive pulse of keys, which creates a motif that the listener can attach to.
On the track Valentina said, “The keys came first when I made this track and I think the wobbly, unstable feeling to them matched my mood. Despite this, there is a hopefulness to this song, hidden somewhere in the feeling of the music. I like the way it has a summery kind of vibe, almost light and fun, and poppy against the dark subject matter.”
Since she was a child, music has been an outlet for Valentina to express emotions. A lot of her darker feelings came about due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The single was written during a road trip, which gave Valentina time to reflect on these feelings, particularly surrounding the people around her.
“This track was written in LA whilst I was staying with a friend and using their studio. The trip was off the back of the Covid pandemic and a generally pretty wobbly time collectively and personally. I had some moments of real despair and really struggled with some very dark thoughts that scared me. This song encapsulates that time for me. I wrote it really fast, in one go but I have been sitting with it for a while. There is an isolation in it, like it feels when you are very low, and also it speaks of the idea of not wanting to burden anyone else with it, of not really having much to give, even to the people you most want to be able to give to.” – Valentina
Valentina is a multi-faceted artist/producer and highly accomplished vocalist who has collaborated with UK heavyweights including Kano, Lil Silva, Hot Chip, and Kindness. Valentina is also known for her work with Joe Goddard writing and performing vocals on the highly acclaimed single, ‘Gabriel’.
The EP ‘All Are Lost’ will be released 1st December 2023.
