“Holding Hands” is the latest single from Melis, Turkish/Czech singer/songwriter, previously a part of electronic pop duo IYES. This is the lead single from her debut EP, “Parallels” (coming out November 24).

Melis uses “Holding Hands” to weave a story of a one-sided relationship, and the frantic attempts to fix it which lead you to ultimately forget yourself. What she creates is a haunting melody that leaves you entranced.

There is something truly raw and vulnerable to this song, which is what makes it so appealing. The honesty behind the music is like jumping into cold water: refreshing and crisp. There is sorrow imbued into the music and the lyrics, and it feels like you are calling out to a lover who you would move mountains to be with, but who isn’t willing to give you five minutes of their day.

The song starts out gently, and crescendos steadily throughout the duration of the track. The music starts out fairly simple, with quiet piano strokes that are tinted with a hint of urgency and want. She frames the melody with this, with each additional instrument adding a layer of complexity and urgency to the track. The song picks up pace with each “are you ready” asked by Melis, with the music coming to the apex at the chorus. The music sounds like it is spinning around you, like dizzying spinning lights. It really captures the feelings of letting go of a one-sided relationship with the yearning and pain and the tumultuous confusion that’s roaring in your ears. The music slowly sounds more and more whole as her voice and the music gathers strength. With one last “stop holding my hand”, she is letting go of a toxic lover and becoming her own individual. It’s beautiful, haunting, and a story of finding strength within yourself.

[su_spacer]
[su_youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fc6ynlFOcV0″]
[su_spacer]

Melis released a video along with this track. Directed by Luboš Rezler and cinetomography by Filip Marek, the film is wonderfully done. The cinematography and the color palette and lighting fits with the music very nicely. The video is full of blood-reds and muted blues and greys and whites and is just very beautifully shot and captivating. The video was filmed in Prague (a city with a long history and I would love to visit one day) and serves as an allegory of a young girl finding her place in a dystopian near-future. Drawing upon Orwellian themes, the video depicts totalitarian regimes of today and interprets the hidden meanings and emotions from the song and carefully interlaces them into the film.  

Melis is a rising star and this track is just one of several of great songs by her. Definitely check out her other songs like “Sober (Over You)” and “Love Song Idea”, and check out her EP when it drops, I know I will.

Check out Melis on the other parts of the internet too! Facebook, Instagram, SoundCloud, Twitter.

You might already know Melis if you are a regular reader of HighClouds but also via her previous music outfit IYES. Her sweet and delicate pop music is clearly inspired by folk music and electronica and enables the artist to deliver both authentic feelings and modern sounds. The blogosphere fell in love with Melis debut track ‘Love Song Idea‘ and everybody was waiting for this new single.

On ‘Flower’, half-Czech half-Turkish singer-songwriter Melis keeps the winning formula of her debut single: well-crafted pop music with sound ambition and genuine emotions.

The single is dedicated to her father and seems to be very personal for the artist as she detailed:

[su_quote]Flower is the track from the EP that really holds a special place for me. I wrote it during 2016 which seemed to be a bit of a rough patch for me. The sentiment of the song is that going through sadness and being in a dark place isn’t forever. There is hope and better things, if only one doesn’t give up. This song is the encouragement for that. I recorded the idea, like Love Song Idea, on my iPhone. I began to record parts of it in my apartment and in a small Berlin studio space that I rent.
[/su_quote]

[su_spacer]
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/327884334″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]
[su_spacer]

Melis‘ ‘Flower’ will be featured on her upcoming ‘Parralels EP.’ There’s a very limited edition that you can already pre-order via Qrates. Meanwhile, keep it up with the artist via her Facebook and Twitter.

Melis probably comes from Czech Republic’s capital Prague and is now based in Berlin. She is also known as one-half of pop duo IYES. Her self-produced debut track is almost a miracle as the song was into a hard drive that failed just before the post-production. The sound engineer achieved to re-build the track only with the stems and here is the result. Melis‘ beautiful guitar ballad “Love Song Idea” is so good and refreshing that we simply can’t believe this story!

[su_spacer]
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/319114154″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]
[su_spacer]

Melis‘ “Love Song Idea ” will be featured on her debut 5-track EP due for release this Spring or Summer. We can also expect a video from the artist very soon.

Keep it up with Melis via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Soundcloud.

This week, Deer Du Bois selection is both intense and dramatic. A lot of great tracks surfaced and emotions were swinging in all directions.

Where Chances opens this week’s playlist with breathtaking and choir-like vocals atop roaring drums on “Shine”, our list ends in the dark satin-lined dream-scape of Arca on his mesmerizing “Anoche”, a night-time story of love & death.

[su_spacer]
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/305786033″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]
[su_spacer]
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/309320981″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]
[su_spacer]

Deer Du Bois brings you deep in the digital forest of neon leaves and synth-waterfalls we find Niki & The Dove again, this time on their hip-hop infused Japanese foodie trip with their latest track “Sushi King”. And another Swedish delight signed by The Land Below: “Soften The Blow“.

[su_spacer]
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/309204719″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]
[su_spacer]

London duo IYES are your dance treat of the week, in their more than uplifting dance-floor anthem “Feelings”. If you don’t jump with the previous one, then singer-songwriter Emma Dewing could finish the work with her track “Buttons”.

[su_spacer]
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/309146896″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]
[su_spacer]
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/309024760″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]
[su_spacer]

And once again, BCN-based emerging talent Bearoid proves his mastership in making perfect polished soul-pop on his new single “At Your Funural”, whose video just got an international premiere on HighClouds. A moving, yet uplifting sounding song, based on intense experiences.

If you want to drink a bit more until you get tipsy, you should check him on Facebook and Soundcloud, and follow his regular posts on our site.

Subscribe to Deer Du Bois refreshing playlist on Spotify now!

[su_spacer]
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/playlists/302228336″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”450″ iframe=”true” /]