Molteno – Our House is on Fire (2021)
In times of profound change, homes can often feel like they are burning down around you while being completely inescapable. This is something Molteno picks up with her single ‘Our House is on Fire’. While looking at the emotional burning, she also considers a more existential one as she turns attention to our plant and what we are going to it.
With a compelling dream-pop sound, Molteno brings shimmering synths and moody guitars to your ears before painting them with her ethereal vocals. Drawing on the elements and celestial bodies to form her sound, she brings the surreal to reality and mixes them together for a captivatingly unique sound. Through collaborations with other artists, her sound has evolved since she started this project while retaining what makes her unique.
Molteno’s ethereal vocals draw you into ‘Our House is on Fire’ with a smooth flow. Her voice has amazing clarity that shines through the single and flies out against the melody. The harmonisations are utterly stunning and add moodiness to the track. Through the smooth movement of the vocals, she asks questions and has you considering the different layers of meaning in the track. There is an ambiguity to the lyrics that allow it to hit on a personal emotional level while addressing something much bigger at the same time. The chorus is complete perfection while the vocals later in the track echo and wisp like the edges of smoke curling before fading into nothing.
Beneath her captivating vocals is a rather moody soundscape packed with vibrating tones and shimmering beats. While there is a dreamy feeling to the music, this is tempered by a muted vibe. The pastel colours of the dreamy sounds as washed with the ashy hues of messaging of the track. Through all of this, there is a depth to the single that makes you think you will sink beneath the surface if you give in.
Molteno has you sinking into her dreamy yet moody soundscape while her vocals wisp around you like tendrils of smoke in ‘Our House is on Fire’. While the melody forms a plush surface of untold depths, the vocals twirl around you. There is a wonderful beauty to the single that teases your senses as the vocals flow through your fingers.
Find out more about Molteno on her website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
