subway ride gone to who knows where
heed the call of the nighttime’s dare
a painted smile is the grand design
if anyone cares
New York City synthpop duo The Mystic Underground have long been fixtures in the local music scene. The band is Vladimir Valette, (whose lyrical prowess and lead vocals evokes the haunting depth of Andy Bell of Erasure), and Benedetto Socci, whose synth work and production skills craft a backdrop that is both chilling and emotionally resonant. Their collaboration on their latest single, In A Darkened Room, highlights Valette’s warm, sorrow-laden vocals against the cool, precise electronic orchestrations by Socci, speaking to the complexities of the human condition.
The lyrics to In A Darkened Room convey a poignant sense of isolation and longing, with vivid imagery of a solitary subway ride and dancing alone in a darkened room, evoking deep introspection and a quest for connection. The use of questioning an echo and the mention of searching for disaster in the early hours underscore a profound yearning for something or someone absent. The closing lines, expressing a wish for a significant other’s presence and the passage of another year, highlight the emotional depth and universal appeal of longing and searching for connection.
“It’s hard to think about what songs are truly about when you write them but in the case of ‘In A Darkened Room’, it’s meant to describe the longing for belonging,” muses singer Vladimir Valette. “The sense of feeling at home at night where anonymity is king and you can be anything you want to be.”
Director William Murray beautifully illustrates the paradoxical isolation brought upon in the ‘city that never sleeps,’ with his gorgeous cinematography for the video clip. No metaphors here, just straight up vignettes in a late-night wander throughout a troubled, insomnia-addled Gotham.
Watch below:
Listen to and stream the single below, including a remix from Jeremy Bastard.
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