Harry The Nightgown - “The Painter”
Los Angeles’ Harry The Nightgown are making some of the very best art pop out there. The duo of Sami Perez and Spencer Hartling released their captivating self-titled debut last year, and it earned a spot on our year-end list thanks to its adventurous rhythmic foundation and clever use of the studio as an instrument. The songs on the album, which were recorded entirely to tape at San Francisco’s Tiny Telephone Studio, leaned heavily into more unconventional experimentations and song structures, utilizing vintage synthesizers and intricate vocal layering to create melodies that are as unique sounding as they are infectious. Their latest single, “The Painter,” sees the band taking the signature sound that they developed on their debut into a more electronic-sounding realm.
Though Harry The Nightgown still records to tape, “The Painter” has a little less of an analog feel when compared with some of the tracks from their first full length. “The Painter” is built off a warped electronic beat that Hartling originally created on a SP-404 sampler, and it’s fused quite well with the kind of twinkling, cyclical guitar work that the band showcased previously on tracks like “Ping Pong” and “Tough Love.” It’s futuristic and floaty sounding at first, and a cryptic spoken word part definitely strengthens that vibe, but the song takes a cool and unexpected sharp turn towards the end, descending into a sort of dark and chaotic cacophony of sounds.
Harry The Nightgown also shared a gorgeous, cinematic video for the track, which you can watch below.
“The Painter” is the second single that the band has released for Dangerbird Records’ Microdose series. You can stream the track, along with the first single in the series, “If You Were Wrong,” on your platform of choice.
You can also revisit our podcast interview with Perez and Hartling here on the site. Keep up with the band by following them on Instagram. Their self-titled debut record is available to purchase on vinyl and cassette via Bandcamp.
