Saint Clair New Single – Human Touch – Out Now – Listen
Saint Clair New Single – Human Touch – Out Now – Listen
New EP ‘D2’ – Out Early 2018
A track that’s both sultry and slow-burning – Consequence of Sound
The patron saint of the British underground – Notion
Four minutes of yearning, sinuous small-hours soul that showcases her extraordinary voice – Sunday Times Culture
Saint Clair has released ‘Human Touch’, the latest track to emerge from her forthcoming EP ‘D2’, due for release in early 2018 via her own Dearly Beloved imprint. The new track follows EP lead-off ‘Amnesiac’ (produced by Terrible Records signing Rahm), which emerged earlier this month alongside a London show from Saint Clair as part of Sofar Sounds & Amnesty International’s global ‘Give A Home’ event (which also saw the likes of Wild Beasts, Jessie Ware and Marika Hackman perform in venues around the UK). ‘D2’ will follow the release of Saint Clair’s debut EP ‘D1’ earlier this year, which drew praise from NME, DIY and Line of Best Fit, and saw her support Laura Marling at her sold-out Roundhouse dates. Listen to ‘Human Touch’ here.
Speaking about the sinuous, slow-burning new track, whose production sees her reuniting with Ben Jones – who co-produced ‘D1′ alongside Ninja Tune’s Raffertie – Saint Clair says; “‘Human Touch’ is a straight-up break-up anthem. I was in emotional limbo when an ex suddenly appeared at the back of a venue I was playing at, and it completely caught me off guard. The song is an exploration of that push and pull between revisiting the past and moving on for good.”
Saint Clair – so-called after her mother’s Scottish ancestry – is the recording alias of French-speaking North Londoner, Emma Topolski. Having grown up surrounded by painters, actors, and journalists, Saint Clair became the first in her family to turn to music, pursuing a career trajectory that’s so far taken her on the road as a backing vocalist for long-time friend Marling (in whose Reversal Of The Muse project she also participated, alongside HAIM, Dolly Parton and Marika Hackman), and seen her play keyboards and sing BVs for Ghostpoet. She has also supported Bastille on their most recent arena tour, as singer and bassist in emerging, Radio 1-supported rockers Childcare (recently appearing live in session for Huw Stephens).
Long before all this, Saint Clair began her musical life as a gigging jazz singer, as she puts it, “playing three or four times a week, getting ignored in the corner of a five-star hotel”. The experience now repays itself in Saint Clair’s easy integration of a love for old standards, soul (Stevie Wonder) and classic rock (The Beatles) with her affinity for the electronica-rooted modern soul of artists like Son Lux and James Blake. “I feel like at the heart of it, I’m a straightforward singer-songwriter” she explains. “The honesty of the lyrics found in jazz and delivered with such feeling by voices like Sarah Vaughn or Chet Baker taught me how to tell a story.” But with such an array of influences, typified by her extensive record collection (containing everything from Fleetwood Mac and Outkast to Thrice and Anderson .Paak), Saint Clair shows a strong tilt towards the more experimental underworlds of pop.
D2 EP Track Listing:
Amnesiac
Human Touch
I’ll Stay
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