Van Alden: Bohéme – Subtle motifs and a careful attention to detail
Many people say the quality of all music has declined over decades, and if they came upon this realization only by listening to mainstream radio, they’d be absolutely right. Had they peered into the mysterious, innovative world of underground music – they would have found artists like the urban music duo from Los Angeles, Van Alden, featuring lead vocalist, Paul Abrahamian. One word to describe this duo on their single Bohéme: lush. The layers of sound are so sumptuous, as Paul’s stylistic vocal delivery and the duo’s ambient feel which have such a distinctive vibe seeps in through the pores of one’s entire body.
This is the kind of music you can listen to studying or driving, or just chilling. It somehow gets me pumped and mellows me out at the same time. The drums are distinct and have their own character; the same with every part of the song. On repeated play throughs you can hear different parts of the song stand out and it’s a new experience following the path of each instrument. The whole experience is very unique and distinct, for however cliched that statement may sound.
Bohéme is rife with immense lyrical detail, tiny sonic fragments and warm enveloping textures. Each listen reveals more, scrapes back another layer. You’ll get more and feel more each time you hit play. This song is powerful and strong, with a slight melancholic tint, as it uses a blend of sweet melody and poetic mystique.
The rich, harmonic chorus is chilling, and is a stunning image of the capability of Van Alden to work sublimely blend the song’s elements in such a unified way. Lead singer Paul Abrahamian’s voice proves to be extremely versatile, taking on soulful and expressive tones to match the narrative.
This song is so juicy and succulent sounding that you genuinely don’t want it to end. It lulls the listeners into a sense of safety with its heartbeat percussion, before whirling and piquing interests during the chorus. Hitting close to the hearts of many with the opening lyrics, ‘All that time spent waiting for you. Looking for that honesty, and looking for you honestly…” This is a near perfect example of why Van Alden will gather so much love in the coming months. Bohéme is definitely a song that showcases the best parts of what this duo do as a collective.
Things start off with a slow, seductive build before expanding into a warm wash of electronics and melody. Subtle motifs and a careful attention to detail make this song what it is – gorgeous, cerebral and moody—and it’s absolutely mesmerizing.
OFFICIAL LINKS: INSTAGRAM – YOUTUBE – SPOTIFY – APPLE – SOUNDCLOUD – INSTAGRAM
