Paige Valentine - “Retrograde”
All photos by Cedric Tang
Western Australia-based singer-songwriter Paige Valentine has arrived on our blog with “Retrograde,” the final single before the release of her new LP, Lucky Blue.
“Retrograde” begins with layered guitars over an ethereally-charged soundscape– panned to the right, a reverberating rhythm deals out a steady, palm-muted pulse; to the left, some vibey chords ring out. And while this sound is quite glorious, it is not long before the rhythm section appears, instantly imbuing the track with a heavenly dose of retro flair.
The drums have a sort of Kate Bush way about them, pounding out triplets below the thick, vintage tones of the bass line. It is a sound that is not difficult to imagine churning at you live from a stage, but the real star of this show is Valentine’s vocal performance. She has a voice that has been drenched in nostalgic vibes, delivering an “ode to star-crossed but flawed partners in love and crime.”
The chorus reveals Valentine’s upper register and layers of vocals that bring a significant lift to the entire arrangement. “Retrograde” follows a time-tested formula of two verses and two refrains before it ultimately eases into a middle eight that mirrors the otherworldliness of the dream that inspired it. The angelic vocals in this section have been doused in a thick sheen of reverb, ultimately culminating in a satisfying return to the hook.
About the track, Valentine adds that the song came to her in a dream: “In my dream this huge crowd was singing along to the chorus. When I woke up, I was so upset because it wasn’t real, but the melody stuck with me!...To me “Retrograde” is most in the spirit of where the record was born. It’s the last frontier, a place of run-away bandits, living for the moment and embracing the wild and intoxicating spirit of youth. Those moments and legends live on forever.”
If “Retrograde” is indicative of what the rest of Paige Valentine’s new record, Lucky Blue, has in store for us, we suggest you all jump on it when it releases on April 12 via Nettwerk.
-HD