That this is perhaps something of a contradiction fits in with the Laveda aesthetic, eschewing as it does any commitment to simple binaries and instead straddling both sides of the the divide. Raw and lustrous, fuzzy and crystalline, nostalgic and fully focused on the future, careering forward without second thought.

Laveda are back with a brand new single, ‘If Only (You Said No)’, and we’re delighted to be able to share it a day before it’s official release. Opening with a prehistoric shimmer of synths, the track soon evolves into an impassioned pop song that utilises dual vocals to delve deeper into the relationship at its heart, in a way reminiscent of Dexter Tortoriello’s Houses. Genevich takes the first verse, her words whispered and poignant. After joining for the refrain, Brooks takes the second verse, his words sincere and desperate and halfway hopeful too, even if its just the misplaced hope of those unable to let go.

This plays into the themes of the track too, which aim to “reflect the internal conflict of really wanting someone but struggling to admit it.” If having the vocals separated by verses suggests a dialogue between two voices, then it is one conducted indirectly. The words whispered to oneself late at night, deep wishes internalised, a fantasy place beyond the miscommunication of the real world, where feelings can be conveyed directly and without distortion.

I hear you come around standing at the door
I know it’s you think I’ll ignore
While the rest of them are falling
Love isn’t something that I need anymore

If only you would go but I won’t stop calling
If only you could know this door won’t open
If only you stayed home I’ll be waiting for it
If only you said no

So hear I am waiting standing at the door
It’s just another night but there’s something else in store
While you were out there falling
I was hoping that you wanted me the most

The post Laveda – If Only (You Said No) appeared first on Various Small Flames.

[Two Nighttimes is] a dense and sonically diverse album reflecting on questions that often go overlooked. What is the difference between loneliness & solitude? Is being cynical wise or is being idealistic naive? Can you accept fate with humility? Does a dog have buddha nature? […] Frontman Alex Muro resorts to unlikely sources like the surrealist poetry of Vincente Alexandre or the no-stone-unturned history of Robert Caro to find ways to talk about personal questions. Attempting answers indirectly by painting pictures in words.

We have the honour of sharing a video for the single ‘Track Names’, which seems like the perfect introduction to the Neighborhood of Make Believe sensibility. The song poses nagging existential questions in a manner similar to Nap Eyes, though swaps out the ironic energy in favour of a slow-burn orchestral soundscape that feels closer to Okkervil River or Kevin Morby, perhaps with overtones of Beirut. The effect is a generous sound that tends toward a sense of revival, the track pushing toward some sense of joy, however obscure and unnamed.

“You were the one to ask in the morning after hours of sleeping
an incongruous task that grew from the dreams that you were dreaming
oh, I don’t mind a question, but I can’t help it if my answers are fleeting
dreams vanished so fast, I wonder if they have any meaning?”

The video is suitably expansive for such a sound, shot in glorious wide screen and filled with vibrant sky blue, the life of the footage literally seeping through into the track as the voices of it’s inhabitants lift over the music.

Two Nighttimes is out on the 16th November via Five Kill Records and you can pre-order it now.

Photo by Alex Muro, album artwork by Brendan Dalton

The post Neighborhood of Make Believe – Track Names appeared first on Various Small Flames.