In the lead-up to her highly anticipated album Chapters, Finnish alt-pop artist Conchis shares the cinematic new single ‘Trouble’.
Emotive, experimental and elegant the single is as comparable to Bjork as it is to FKA Twigs and even Bat For Lashes with its sprawling electronics and raw, melodic lead vocals. Produced along side Jonas Verwijnen the track grows towards a vibrant and reassuringly catchy chorus, highlighting the commercial side of Conchis’ sound without taking aware the experimental, alternative aura of the track. Making use of samples of ‘fire sounds’ throughout to fit the the theme of the lyricism, the track includes the sound of the flick of a lighter and the crackle of flames. These sonic details are woven so seamlessly into the music that listeners may not consciously notice them, but they contribute to the visceral, immersive experience.
The track showcases the rich musicality and thoughtful approach to making music which can be expected on the upcoming album.
Talking about the track, the process of sampling and the processes behind the upcoming album, Conchis shares: “In the past, I’ve had a tendency to pick men who aren’t necessarily healthy for me. ‘Trouble’ is a reflection of that topic and how I’m still drawn to certain types of men despite knowing better. It’s about the push and pull in a relationship and how we act against our better judgment.
The different elements in tarot—earth, water, fire, and air—all represent different things: earth symbolizes material aspects, physical health, work, finances, and practicalities; water represents emotions, intuition, relationships, love, and the subconscious; fire represents energy, creativity, passion, ambition, action, and inspiration; air represents intellect, communication, conflict, truth, and mental clarity.
We then used a few samples from those elements in each song and tried to make it sound e.g. “airy” in an air song, “earthy” in an earth song, etc. We didn’t use too many samples, though, so that the end result wouldn’t become gimmicky. The listener might not even notice them, but for us, it was a way to work on the tracks without relying on other artists’ music as references—instead, we talked about making a track sound more like a specific element.
Some samples on the album are really subtle, like clicking stones together or making a shaker out of twigs or gravel. Those can sound exactly like a normal shaker or a snare sample.
I remember it was a really hot summer day when I went out into the forest and picked stones, gravel, branches, etc., and then recorded them. Some samples I found from a sample bank—e.g., the sound of lava or fire from a lighter. I liked combining the more analog sounds with the otherwise quite electronic sounds.”
Listen to the new single below:
