New Music: I Am Harlequin – Minimal

Londoner I am Harlequin has left it a while since Hooked, her last release, but she certainly doesn’t disappoint on her return with the different and daring Minimal. Musically the track lives up to its name on first hearing, but repeated listening reveals musical and lyrical layers that lie beneath its feel good bouncy façade and sparse pop gyrations.

The Sean Clancy directed video follows a similar process – initially appearing like a TV show for pre-school kids –  bright and cute, if not garish and simplistic, the images and cutaway shots reveal shades of darkness and maybe despair at odds with cartoon colour palate and bold brush strokes of the visual puns and idioms.

In relation to the concept behind the new song, she says: ‘Minimal represents a bit of a departure from the traditional I Am Harlequin style – the opera-inspired tones, epic choirs and general sense of grandeur. Minimal is none of that. It is as the title of the song suggests – minimal.’

Minimal is out now, streaming on Spotify and iTunes. Be sure to check out her Instagram – it’s quite cool!