Upon the stones you laid,
That love will last forever
I won’t throw your candles away
In fact, they’ll always stay alighted
In the delicate interplay between smoke and ebony, perfume becomes potent poetry. Bearing the name of the seductive fragrance by Tom Ford, here Mareux and Riki conjure a luxurious gloom with their new single, “Ébène Fumé.” Draped in silken synths and luminous vocals, this shadow-drenched collaboration between two evocative artists emerges as though each note drifts upwards from burning Palo Santo, curling gently through a theatre bathed in chiaroscuro.
“Ébène Fumé” captures Riki delivering perhaps her most spellbinding vocal performance yet—bold, confident, and radiant. The track resonates as a graceful sibling to her acclaimed 2021 single, “Florence and Selena,” channeling echoes of Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill” with its sweeping intensity and emotive grandeur, while also evoking an emotional weight reminiscent of classic 4AD, such as the soaring romanticism found in This Mortal Coil’s Filigree and Shadow. After her recently released single, “Pulser,” explored Locrian tonal experiments, and the sultry, dark-synth power of the b-side, “Devil Games,” evoked the sensuality of Toni Halliday, Riki’s captivating presence in “Ébène Fumé” solidifies her enduring command of both melody, movement, and mood.
Mareux, a maestro of retro-wave cinematics, crafts a sonic backdrop to the song that deftly balances icy synth textures and lush choral flourishes. The music pulses with suave swagger, set against windswept synth beats and poetic lyricism. Mareux’s production skillfully augments the emotional depth of Riki’s vocal performance, each beat and chime resonating like a heartbeat in twilight.
Directed by the creative collective Muted Widows (Michael E Linn, Nedda Afsari, and Michael R. Zumaya), the video for “Ébène Fumé” unfolds as an alluring study in contrast and reflection. Riki gazes into a dressing-room mirror, performing to her own enigmatic double before gracefully drifting into the inky embrace of a black box theatre. There, Mareux stands bathed in spotlight, coaxing melodic sighs from his Oberheim Ob-X8 as shadows waltz gently around them. This elegant choreography of luminescence and darkness brings the essence of the song vividly to life.
Watch the video for “Ébène Fumé” below:
“Ébène Fumé” serves as a tantalizing harbinger for Mareux’s forthcoming sophomore album, Nonstop Romance, a record poised between polished elegance and raw emotional urgency. Rejecting sterile perfection, Mareux prioritizes authenticity and introspection. “I’m trying to make something that’s reflective of me getting older,” Mareux explains. “Could you put it on in your house with people around and not bring the mood down? That’s what guided me.” Drawing inspiration from silent scenes by Tarkovsky and the neon-soaked grit of Hype Williams’s Belly, his sonic constructions become romantic snares, deceptively alluring yet subtly ominous.
“I’ve noticed that as artists get better or more seasoned, they often pursue a polished, studio sound and lose their grit,” Mareux reflects. “I like when music sounds like found footage.” This ethos permeates “Ébène Fumé” and Nonstop Romance, delivering a genuine emotional immediacy underscored by an unmistakable passion.
With “Ébène Fumé,” Mareux and Riki illuminate exciting new paths ahead. Mareux is set to perform live later this year, with shows at Pomona’s Fox Theater on December 12 and Los Angeles’s The Novo on December 13. Meanwhile, this entrancing collaboration hints at rich possibilities for Riki’s long-anticipated third album. Until then, “Ébène Fumé” lingers in the air like perfume, diluted yet bright—a melody softly humming after a lover departs, a delicate whisper of memory fading but never forgotten, gently resurfacing in echoes of melody, love, and longing.
“I only care about one thing,” Mareux declares, “and that’s being in love.” Nonstop Romance is out June 27th via Revolution / Warner Records.
Listen to “Ébène Fumé” below, or on your preferred streaming platform here. Pre-Order and Pre-Save Nonstop Romance here.
Upcoming Mareux Live Dates:
- December 12, 2025: Fox Theater, Pomona, CA
- December 13, 2025: The Novo, Los Angeles, CA
More dates to be announced…
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Featured photo by Cameron McCool
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