London-based songwriter/producer Richard Jahn has unveiled his debut single, ‘Paint It’, along with an accompanying video shot at Tooting’s Grade I listed Gala Bingo Hall. With the likes of Frank Sinatra, The Beatles and The Bee Gees having graced the grand venue over the years, ‘Paint It’ brings a very modern sound to the art deco surroundings. Collaborating with friends in the From Concentrate collective (Count Counsellor, LVNA, Gud Jon) to expand his first release into the visual realm, Richard has a clear vision of how he wants his music to look and won’t settle for anything less than different.
‘Paint It’ marks the first outing as Richard Jahn but also a new approach to composition, relying on a lyric-less vocal to drive the track forward without placing any lifeless ornaments into the mix just to keep up appearances. Speaking of how ‘Paint It’ came to be, Richard explains that the song was ‘an anomaly in the way I tend to create music. Normally it’s more maximalist in approach, filling every inch of space.’ Opening with a hauntingly playful vocal hook, the soundscape may be ruthlessly minimal but with waves of reverb-soaked synthesisers washing over the brooding soundscape, the sheer force of the track is further cemented by its pulsating beat.
Richard eventually gained permission to shoot the video (directed by Milo Hutchings and James Rushton) at Tooting’s extravagant bingo hall after 3 months of negotiations. With only an allotted 3 hours to film very early on a Sunday morning, he called on none-other than his 90-year-old grandmother, an actress/dancer in the 1930s, for a starring role. The video is greatly focused on binary opposites, juxtaposing the lyrics, ‘Paint it in black’ with garishly lit slot machines, youth with old age and decadence with minimalism. A very purposeful clash of visuals and sound, it’s a refreshingly bold display for Richard’s debut release.
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