Until last year, bedroom-pop project Albert Newton was best known for “Volcano,” a wavy indie track moving at the speed of lava off his 2020 EP Bedroom Posters (*Spring). Created by Paris-based musician Henry de Montbazon, whose moniker pays homage to Albert Einstein and Sir Isaac Newton, “Volcano” showed his funk sensibilities through starry-eyed lyrics.
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However, Montbazon went on a hiatus soon after, consulting with a quantum researcher and an astrophysicist in hopes of finding inspiration up in the stars. Then, as if he never left Earth, the roaring guitar from his single “Fell Off” marked his return in September, three years after the release of Bedroom Posters (*Spring).
The song acted as the first tease for his upcoming debut album, Twin Earth, due Feb. 9. But “Somewhere In The Dark” is where Albert Newton takes off from his bedroom-pop forte, employing laser gun synths complimenting his romantic journey through space.
As to be expected based on previous material, “Somewhere In The Dark” shines for its sheen production that, when paired with Montbazon’s boyish vocals, creates heavenly harmony. While the lyrics speak on Earth-related relationship problems, the atmosphere makes the stakes feel grandiose, elevating “Somewhere In The Dark” above other tracks that keep their stories grounded.
Montbazon’s time between Bedroom Posters (*Spring) and Twin Earth obsessing over everything connected to the cosmos manifests through everything, not just the music. Beginning with “Fell Off,” a series of 2001: A Space Odyssey-inspired visuals accompanied each passing single, adding to the already nebulous instrumentation.
Given the out-of-this-world songwriting in recent songs, Montbazon’s subject matter might seem impersonal to who he is as a person. But the widened scope of his music has brought him closer to his place in the world and the greater universe.
“These 10 songs tell the story of someone (aka a fainting goat like me) who’s trying to make sense of this electric window on a big nothing and our place in it all,” he said on his Instagram. His enthusiasm for the universe hasn’t failed to rub off on the music, which will surely apply to the remaining songs from the album and launch him further out past the stratosphere.
Words: David Sosa
“Somewhere In The Dark” by Albert Newton is out on streaming services. For more on his upcoming album and potential shows, follow him on Instagram and TikTok.
