Anna Belle – mask (2024)
A dash of Lady Gaga, a slip of The Human League and a whole bunch of George Michael, and you have singer-songwriter Anna Belle. Soulful, rhythmic, pop-infused and synth-tinged, Anna Bella is a harmonic symphony bound by silky vocals. While she might have the sweet girl next door look about her, sassiness oozes from every pore. Her confident stage presence grabs live audiences, while her moving melodies charm ears and turn heads far beyond her US borders. The latest addition to her discography is the single ‘mask’.
Following her well-received 2022 single ‘Glass Delusion’, ‘mask’ sees Anna Belle re-emerge with a new skin – but the soulful signature sound remains. Showing constant evolution, Belle’s style has changed since her 2020 debut ‘Tokyo’ and ‘mask’ is the most experimental to date. Unlike the synth-pop tones of ‘Glass Delusion’, the new single explores several slicks of pop in avant-garde mysticism. Self-recorded and produced at Anna Belle’s home – in the closet actually – ‘mask’ is a “hard-hitting yet dainty tribute to 90s dance genre and Japanese vocaloid styles”.
Simplistic from the get-go, Anna Belle’s keyboard opens the tune like steps leading to a pool of synths and sonic fog. Pulsating like a pumping heart, the bold drumbeats pierce this cinematic swirl. With retro dance beats, a vintage flair exudes from the melody, but a contemporary breath brings old-school sounds to modern audiences. Moreover, while there is a simplistic feel, ‘mask’ is truly kaleidoscopic as an obscure soothing lingers in the distorted separation of instruments.
Considering the off-kilter obscurity of the melody, the song is aptly named ‘mask’ for an overall haze hides the tumultuous but sincere whiplash of emotions hidden beneath. Profound and intriguing, depth can be heard in the tune; however, it is the lyricism and theme that enhances the complexity of ‘mask’. Anna Belle explains:
“I wrote this about a few fictional characters and late celebrities who were tormented in a way that made them at odds with the world around them, judged for their appearance or demeanour instead of what they created. It is written from the perspective of someone close who wants to comfort and fully embrace them.”
For more from Anna Belle, check out her Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
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