Interview
Midnight Sister s debut LP, 2017 s
Saturn Over Sunset, felt like some lost classic from the moment it came out. Matching the adrogynous vocals of Juliana Giraffe to the giddy, woody orchestrations of Ari Balouzian, the Los Angeles duo created a stirring sound that felt out-of-time, and out-of-place, in the digital era. It was a debut that was at once experimental and pop, slyly funny whilst heartbreakingly beautiful.
The album was, lyrically, full of colourful characters and fictional narratives. And these songs were matched to a host of striking visuals, both still and in music-video form, which led to the feeling that the music was cinematic; that it felt like some strange, old, psychedelic movie.
Part of the reason for the prevalence of second-album syndrome is the tendency of artists to cram every good idea they have into their debut, just in case it’s the only chance they get to make a personal statement. In the case of Midnight Sister, a Los Angeles two-piece who turned in a beguiling debut in
Saturn Over Sunset three years ago, the well has evidently not run dry;
Painting the Roses is a delicate tapestry of high concepts, one that takes an appealingly lax approach to genre boundaries.
Singer Juliana Giraffe travelled to Argentina in order to reconnect with her roots during the writing of