EP Review: de clair. - 'hiding mountains in the palm of my hand'
Filled with poignant lyricism and boasting a soft but strong aesthetic, de clair’s debut EP is the embodiment of spring.
Swedish music has built a reputation for being some of the strongest in the world and with artists like ABBA, Loreen, Avicci and Robyn on their rosters, its no surprise why. Enter de clair, who at just 26 has already built up quite the following due to her heartfelt songwriting and is a talent poised to follow in their footsteps. Her debut EP, wonderfully titled ‘hiding mountains in the palm of my hands’, is an incredibly intimate and vulnerable welcome into her world. A short but sweet 6 tracks, this release is an exciting introduction to the rising songstress and leaves all wondering what she will do next.
The EP opens with the ethereal and whimsical ‘sleep with me on my birthday’. Capitals letters, or rather lack thereof is a big part of de clair’s artistic process; the simplicity and minimalism it exudes compliments her songwriting style. The simplicity translates well on this track where de clair’s vocals are the primary focus. Her tone which is crystal clear and pitch perfect is reminiscent of artists like Aurora, Novo Amor and Florence + The Machine. She is accompanied by keys which feel straight out of the gates of heaven, giving everything an atmospheric, dainty and almost spiritual quality.
‘I thought you were gonna be celebrating me. I thought that finally I’d wake up next to somebody. I thought that every time I’d leave there's a new one coming, but here I am. Asking a friend if she wants to sleep with me on my birthday.’
The first few lines are quietly devastating-a real contrast to the instrumentation that feels so bright and hopeful. It demonstrates first impressions are not always what they seem and that rather than some angelic figure in front of us, there is just a girl who feels alone on her birthday. The emotions de clair is emulating are known by so many; building up anticipation for your big day only to feel that its another year left behind. It sets the tone brilliantly for the rest of the album and acts as a warning to us as the listeners that things aren’t always what they seem. It encourages us to really listen, to take in and acknowledge the somber lyrics even when they’re set against beautiful instrumentals.
Next is ‘the man’. It was released in January earlier this year in anticipation of the EP and fans of de clair know it already as one of her standout tracks. A complete gear shift away from what we’ve just listened to, this song swaps the cinematic soundscape for something closer to bedroom pop, complete with synths and a catchy drumline. It is the track from which the title of the EP originates, this is the line as it appears in the song:
‘I feel young, age doesn’t matter, I feel fine when I let things go. Then suddenly I stand, hiding mountains in the palm of my hand. I don’t know when it began, but soon I realised I was the man. I was the man.’
Slightly tongue-in-cheek with its existentialism and questions about what it means to grow up and be an adult, the song explores the responsibilities and pressures de clair feels as a woman in her twenties. She talks about the supposed need to ‘have plans’, whether that be in relationships, children or work. She longs for a sense of ignorant bliss she sees in certain people around her who appear to be living a care-free existence and dreams of a world where opportunities are easily within her grasp and there’s no real urgency to fight for things. Its a plain existence and she reconciles that she would perhaps not enjoy it after all, but the tranquility and ease of what could be continues to call her name.
‘Funeral’ is perhaps the most atmospheric track on the record. Its a title that has been used to varying effect by many artists; Lukas Graham, fellow Swede Zara Larsson and perhaps most well known, Phoebe Bridgers. For de clair, the track encapsulates the feeling of losing someone. It is unclear whether or not this is a love story gone wrong or perhaps about a friend or family; her lyricism throughout makes the sentiment of the track universal. If you have experienced loss, you will no doubt find solace in this song.
‘I can’t believe-I could see you at my wedding. I could see you hold my kids, I could see me at your funeral. I could see us far ahead’
She is accompanied by guitar on this track but underneath all the instrumentals there is this sound that hangs over everything. Its difficult to discern what it is, but from the moment the song starts and you hear it, you feel on edge and like you are being watched. Its an incredibly clever motif to convey themes of loss and death; whilst it at times works in tandem with the instrumentation and compliments the musicality of the song, by itself it is deeply unsettling and foreboding. It’s a constant that de clair has learned to live with and incorporate into her artistry. Listen after listen, this is the track I keep coming back to.
Another released as a single in anticipation for the EP release is ‘peace of mind’. This track pushes genre boundaries: it marries together everything we have heard already with the format and style synonymous with folk music. It is a wonderful demonstration of de clair’s versatility as she is accompanied by lilting acoustic guitar and piano. So much of this track continues the messaging she has laid the foundations for already; a restless mind in search of tranquility. Talking about her intentions with the track at its release earlier this year, she explained:
‘It’s about long-term stress and a deep, inner wish for peace of mind. We all deserve to feel safe, loved, and cared for, but far from all are. I wanted to write a song about this, the injustice of never being able to feel calm inside. In the end the song itself turned into a kind of meditative anthem, and I hope that whoever listens can find peace of mind through it.’
For those who resonate with her discussion of mental health and personal struggles, this song is a real point of catharsis. De clair wonderfully captures the confusion that comes with having mental health struggles and articulates well the constant negative loop she faces from her internal monologue. Empathetic and coming from a place rooted in her own understanding, its a track she admits herself is written to those who listen who are looking for hope amidst the strange world we live in.
The final track on the EP, ‘maybe october’, ties up everything perfectly. The beauty of the track is how raw it feels-it almost sounds like a demo that we have been given early. The simplicity and lack of production means that, once again much like how things started, de clair’s voice is the soul thing we are focussing on. Her tone is incredibly emotional which contributes to the rawness and vulnerability of the track. This is de clair at her most authentic, honest and personal. Just her, the piano, and uncertainty about what the future holds.
‘Do you wanna come when everything’s over-do you wanna come, maybe October? Will I let you, will I let you, will I let you in?’
It is the best way she could close out her debut as it leaves the ending of the story ultimately in her hands. We as the listener can hope for more and wish for something else but she is the one who holds the cards; the mountains are truly in the palms of her hands. What can come next for de clair, we don’t know. The continuation of her spring tour which kicked off in February comes to a close at the end of April at Ditt Kvarter festival in her native Sweden, but as of yet, no dates for the UK have been released. Her youtube account has hints of what live performances have instore, including a beautiful live session recording of the opening track ‘sleep with me on my birthday’ but in the meantime, we will have to keep eyes peeled for more.
Words by Kirsty-Ann Thomson
