By Charlie Maybee
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D.C.-based indie pop musician, Emily Henry, is back with a brand new single and music video for “The Sound,” which musters up some spooky hotel vibes just in time for the Halloween season.
There’s a lot of striking imagery used throughout the video shrouded in blood red lights that give off a simultaneously sexy and ominous vibe. The choreography features two prominent characters who are attempting to seduce Henry into some illicit activities.
As the video progresses, we see flashes of our protagonist washing blood off her hands and body which feels reminiscent of Velma Kelly’s infamous story of awaking from blackout having murdered her husband and sister after learning of their infidelity from the musical Chicago.
Clearly something has gone awry, but the story seems to unfold in a non-linear fashion, which helps to build the tension and anticipation about what exactly has happened. At the end, all we see is the door of the hotel room open and Henry reach for a pair of scissors, so we’ll have to fill in the rest for ourselves.
On the level of songwriting, there is a lot of skill here that utilizes a minimalist approach to composition. Fans of Lorde or Billie Eilish will find a lot to love about this song with its atmospheric use of synth, digitized vocal harmonies, and simple, yet driving drumbeats. It gradually swells in a way that is organic but finds its grounding in the more subtle moments where the instrumentation is sparse.
“The Sound” can be streamed on all major streaming services including Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, Amazon Music, and Deezer. The accompanying music video is also available on YouTube.
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Charlie Maybee is a dancer, musician, educator, and writer based in Charleston, South Carolina who currently teaches with the Dance Program at the College of Charleston. His primary work as an artist is with his performing collective, Polymath Performance Project, through which he makes interdisciplinary performance art that centers tap dance as the primary medium of expression and research. He also currently plays rhythm guitar for the Charleston-based punk band, Anergy, and releases music as a solo artist under the name Nox Eterna.
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Alchemical Records is a Washington, D.C. based music publication. We cover the Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Richmond, VA metro area music scenes, including band interviews, articles about your favorite musicians, new music and concert dates.
