Photo Credit: Alex Lake
Whether it’s the sepia-toned slow-motion tour of someone’s derelict and empty L.A. spread, the haunting holographic narrator or the equally haunting slightly off-kilter lounge vocals, I’m not exactly sure, but the end result is quite unsettling… and very lovely. This video by Emmy The Great is for “Swimming Pool,” the lead single from her upcoming EP S, due out January 27 on Bella Union. It features Tom Fleming (Wild Beasts) on beautifully complementary baritone vocals, and is directed by Sebastian Pardo.
Her previous recordings have been personal and introspective. On this new 4-track EP, her view turns outward, inspired by places she visited as she searched for new inspiration — Salt Lake City, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Los Angeles, New York and London. “Social Halo” speaks of public anxiety, alternately sweet and slightly off-kilter in its mood. “Solar Panels” contemplates California dreaming, alternative energy and interconnectedness amidst swirling synths. “Somerset (I Can’t Get Over)” is more personal, a plea to a lost lover. The EP was recorded in L.A. with Ludwig Goransson (Haim, Childish Gambino) and in London with Dave McCracken (Oh Land, Beyonce).
Born in Hong Kong, raised in London and now based in New York, Emmy The Great (a.k.a. Emma-Lee Moss) is a singer-songwriter and journalist who has performed with Lightspeed Champion and Noah and the Whale. Her solo career began in 2006, and she released her debut single “Secret Circus.” Her debut album First Love (2009) was followed by Virtue in 2011. She has written for Artrocker, the Observer UK and Drowned in Sound, among others.
There are currently plans for shows in the U.K. at the end of January and East Coast U.S. shows set for mid-February. She’ll be performing at Mercury Lounge in New York on February 19th and at Great Scott in Allston on February 21st.
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