Daily Dose: Matt Maltese, “Less and Less”
Photo courtesy of the artist
Daily Dose is your daily source for the song you absolutely, positively need to hear every day. Curated by the Paste Music Team.
Following the release of his debut album Bad Contestant earlier this year, Matt Maltese has shared a new single and video today (Oct. 30), “Less and Less.”
The 22-year-old British singer-songwriter’s album was recorded in Los Angeles and produced by Foxygen’s Jonathan Rado (Father John Misty, The Lemon Twigs). His piano-centric, self-described “Brexit pop” sound is marked by his baritone croon, songs of love and heartache, post-modern gripes and velvet-cloaked metaphors of apocalypse. The record is filled with stories of nightclub romances, numbing lovesickness with alcohol, and self-deprecating, undeniably British humor, all through the lens of sultry, retro pop. His lounge-style piano, bouncy guitar licks and cheery brass are tried and true—a solid, classic counterpunch to whip-smart lyrics firmly rooted in the present.
His latest single “Less and Less” is one of the album’s most somber, understated numbers as it chronicles a couple’s gradual growing apart with smooth vocals, elegant keys and chorus-like backing vocals. Maltese comes to the conclusion that even fond, nostalgic memories brought upon by familiar scenes aren’t enough to heal a relationship meant to end. The video was directed by Maltese’s longtime collaborator Sam Hiscox, who also created the visuals for another album track, “As The World Caves In.” This new video tells the story of two people who live under the same roof, but are dealing with inverse feelings of heartbreak and closure.