With over a billion streams to date and Top 10 chart positions across Europe, Alice Merton established herself as a major player on the alt-pop landscape with her debut album ‘MINT’. But as shown by recent tracks ‘Same Team’, ‘Vertigo’, ‘Hero’ and ‘Island’ is presenting a confident new sound – bigger, bolder and more experimental – as she looks set to make a bigger international impact.
Now Alice extends growing anticipation for the June 17th release of ‘S.I.D.E.S.’ by sharing the brand new single ‘Blindside’, along with its official video. Listen HERE. Watch the video HERE.
‘Blindside’ is another compelling example of Alice’s desire to push alt-pop in thrillingly unpredictable directions. Its opening minute sets its stall with Alice’s angelic vocal supported by a simple synth pattern and a rolling drum beat. But as Alice questions “Who’s to blame?” a rumbling funk-bass line takes the song somewhere else entirely, its exuberance building further still during the song’s dazzling conclusion. It’s also a song that demonstrates just how much Alice excels at matching uplifting sounds with dark, introspective themes.
The song is Alice’s latest collaboration with Tobias Kuhn. The pair previously worked together on ‘Trouble In Paradise’, a song from her debut album ‘MINT’.
Alice says, “‘Blindside’ talks about the kind of people that give you ultimatums. They only see black-and-white, and will give you either everything or nothing, and that decision initially lies with them. You are on THEIR time, and often give the feeling you’re wasting it. They believe you are dependent on their success and they believe that you will not find happiness unless they are the cause of it.
This song almost feels like eating ice cream whilst standing in the middle of a thunderstorm – that contradiction that really pulled me into it.”
The ‘Blindside’ video opens with Alice styled like a chic Sixties pop star. Singing of having a gun to her head, Alice is on the verge of signing a deal as a mysterious executive looks on. Just when you think you know what way the story is heading, he suddenly blindsides viewers with a completely unexpected twist. Depicted with a sharp monochrome that recalls the aesthetic of peak Ingmar Bergman, the video tells the tale of two co-dependent characters. Elevated by their shared choreography, the visual ultimately feels weirdly joyous for an otherwise wild body horror.
The video was directed by Sander Houtkruijer (Giant Rooks, Floating Points), who was really enthusiastic about creating a visual for the track after hearing an early version of it a year ago.
The ‘S.I.D.E.S’ album will see Alice telling her story in her own distinct way. It charts her ups and downs, moments of self-doubt and growing confidence, with the many challenges countered by a palpable sense of hope – all with the awareness that there will always be another side to the story. Her huge ambition for the project can be shown by the array of award-winning hitmakers who have contributed to it, including Koz (Dua Lipa), Jonny Coffer (Beyoncé, Ellie Goulding), Jennifer Decilveo (Anne-Marie, Andra Day) and Matty Green (Dua Lipa, Royal Blood).
‘S.I.D.E.S.’ is available to pre-order HERE.
Alice Merton recently announced details of a major European tour in support of ‘S.I.D.E.S.’ which opens with the following UK shows. Please see HERE for a full list of dates and ticket information.
OCTOBER
18th – Manchester, Gorilla
19th – Glasgow, Oran Mor
21st- London, Islington Assembly Hall