Matching the nocturnal noir and ominous intensity of their surreal latest synth-pop venture, the Berlin-based duo have now released new visuals to complement it.
Made in the night-time, for the night-time, ‘Chemistry’ was written after an eerie after-hours drive from Vienna to Prague earlier this year. Surrounded by a dense and ethereal fog, the unsettling journey felt reminiscent of a scene from a lost David Lynch film.
In a DIY new video for ‘Chemistry’, the band piece together a montage of surrealist imagery and intimate performance. Soundtracked by the propulsive electronica of the new single, the video finds the band paying homage to Lynchian works like Twin Peaks, while referencing that inspirational late-night drive of their own.
“The video is homemade, but I think the vibe fits the song and mood quite well” says Teresa Woischiski, vocalist of The Ghost of Helags. “We put together moods and images that fit the vibe of the song. The last scene especially is a reminder of the night drive from Vienna to Prague, where the song was created.”
With echoes of synth-pop luminaries like Chromatics or Au Revoir Simone, ‘Chemistry’ is crisp of production and dreamy by design; a bewitching concoction of minimal, syncopated percussion and ethereal synthesisers. Intimate, yet enigmatic, ‘Chemistry’ feels like a love song from the heart of loneliness. Lyrics materialise through the darkness like preoccupied thoughts: “It’s the way you touch my heart, everything becomes clearer in the dark”; Teresa’s dreamy, detached vocals eventually disappearing into an ether of electronics with the repeated refrain: “there’s nothing left out there, that makes me scared, nothing”.
The Ghost of Helags are singer-songwriter and producer duo Teresa Woischiski and John Alexander Ericson. Hailing from Sweden and now located in Berlin, the pairing combine the dream pop sounds of their Scandinavian roots with the electronic nuances inspired by their newfound home. Following on from New Music Friday playlisted debut single ‘I Carry Your Heart’ and heavenly follow-ups ‘Autobahn Lullaby’ (a tribute to their Berlin home) and 2019’s ‘The Santa Rosa Song’.
Renowned for their intimate live shows, the band will be bringing a special performance to The Big Issue’s ‘Big Busk At Home’ online festival this weekend. The fundraiser will see the duo beam in a set from Berlin at 5.30pm BST, joining a day of music which will also see performances from Karima Francis, Everything Everything, Beans On Toast and more. Tune in here.