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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.
“Sam and I have made quite a few videos that are able to be more boldly comic because of the song, but with ‘Less And Less’ it was really about trying to make a vulnerable video that just felt sad as it should be, as well as having an overblown drama,” says Maltese. “My friend Bela and I had these fake couples photos taken of us by Sam all around London—on the tube, by tower bridge, at home. It was ridiculous. And then in the video we open with these photos and go on to tell the aftermath. Bela plays the part of the ex-girlfriend—sad but moving on—whilst I play 19-year-old me, writing heartbreak songs and becoming more and more miserable. All based on true events.”
This November, Maltese will embark on a U.K. and Irish tour—his biggest headlining tour to date—including a London hometown show on Nov. 27.
Watch the video for “Less and Less” and see Maltese’s upcoming tour dates below. You can stream or purchase Bad Contestant, out now via Atlantic Records, here.
Matt Maltese Tour Dates:
November
20 – Dublin, Ireland @ The Workmans Club
21 – Manchester, U.K. @ Band on The Wall
22 – Glasgow, U.K. @ Broadcast
24 – Reading, U.K. @ Beat Connection – South Street Arts Centre
26 – Brighton, U.K. @ The Haunt
27 – London, U.K. @ EartH
29 – Southampton, U.K. @ The Loft
30 – Bristol, U.K. @ Thekla