Miriam Clancy – Black Heart: 13th Floor New Song Of The Day

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Miriam Clancy single Black Heart continues the thematic trajectory of deeply personal narratives featured on her forthcoming album, Black Heart, out on 3 February 2023.

The album’s release date has been pushed back to February 3rd. We have a feeling its worth waiting for. Here’s more:

Miriam ClancyBlack Heart” transports the listener back in time to an 80s-esque musical capsule – urgent, haunting vocals deliver naked and imploring lyrics, its big synth-heavy chorus crescendos, then pulls back like a wave on the sand, called back to the ocean. Miriam speaks to a man who ended up living alone with his WWII-scarred psyche, fortified with thick emotional walls – Miriam’s grandfather, Ivan.

Miriam says, “Black Heart” is a sonic document about being a part of a war machine, becoming collateral damage on a road that you cannot reverse. These events are felt down the generational line with broken relationships and social dysfunction – they can tattoo a heart black with loss and hardship. My grandfather sailed on the ships of war and I wrote this with him on my heart.”

Black Heart was recorded in Mason Jar Studios, Brooklyn with Miriam’s band, Jeremy McDonald, Will Graefe and Mike Riddleberger. Miriam says, “We found the arrow of the song shooting into stark, syncopated territory with room to gasp between furies of motion and vocals, building and releasing.”

“Black Heart” – The video

Miriam ClancyThe video for “Black Heart” invites us into a world of juxtaposition – graceful, fluid dance vs the chaos of war; dynamic songwriting vs unified battle-marching; urgent clarity vs grainy WWII footage. The messaging is complex, driven through Miriam’s finesse and the foundational melange of cultural and historical influences.

Miriam says, “The music video flows from my love of ballet and modern dance, and it’s inspired by the indelible teenage experience of seeing Marcel Marceau perform live, David Bowie’s hair in Labyrinth, Anna Pavlova’s fragile dying swan, Kate Bush’s Babooshka, Edgar Dega’s ballerinas, Vyvyan Basterd from The Young Ones, every tulle skirt or piece of ballet couture in existence – and ANZAC soldiers and the cautionary tales, the ravages of war.

“I began the choreography a year ago in various empty dance studios – spurred on by professional choreographer pal Elizabeth Dishman in NYC. We filmed over two days in a beautiful old church in Kutztown, PA, which has a long history of supporting the arts with work by Keith Haring and music with Laurie Anderson, Lou Reed and Philip Glass performing in its sacred space.

“WWI scenes from the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps in Anzac Cove and on the battlefield are scattered, overlayed to aim the emotions where they need to be – the past that informs our future: Ka mua, ka muri.”
Black Heart – 3 February 2023
Miriam ClancyTrack list:
01. Cassowary
02. Black Heart
03. Head Like a Hole
04. Roelof
05. Feels Like Heaven
06. Death Becomes the Maiden
07. Kamikaze Angels
08. Velveteen
09. True-ish Love
10. We Become the Night
11. Guide For All Humankind

About Miriam Clancy:

Born in New Zealand into a family of musicians, writing her first song at age nine and fronting bands by age 17 Miriam was caught between the shadow of local DIY post-punk and imported American pop but ended up being mentored by old-school established Māori musicians who were rich in R&B, Motown soul and heavy in show business professionalism. With them she learned to sing for diverse crowds in the often wild pubs of New Zealand. From there Miriam moved into full-time session work, taking her from clubs in Wellington & Auckland to Southeast Asia before swapping the security of the professional vocalist life to become an indie artist, performing on her own terms. She began to deconstruct her approach to music and follow the thread of melodies that had begun welling up while she was alone in her room, and at 21 Miriam started again, just herself and a guitar, in dive bars singing the songs she couldn’t help but write.

After passing on a local record deal Miriam headed to Los Angeles, where a 2005 season led to the NZ release of her debut album Lucky One. It, along with sophomore album Magnetic, was met with critical acclaim and a stack of five-star and best-of-year reviews as she headlined national tours and toured in support of Wilco, Ron Sexsmith and Mark Lanegan. She signed to Mushroom Group’s publishing wing and was declared “A Voice to Move Mountains” garnering APRA Silver Scroll songwriting and NZ Music Award nominations and a solid underground following. Shifting camp from Aotearoa to New York City brought forth her first US release, 2019’s Astronomy, crafted over a couple of years between Great Barrier Island and New York City, with producer Chris Coady at the helm. Again, the critics waxed effusive – “Astronomy is not only well thought out but planned and executed with the brilliance and captivation of a true artist” Ryan Martin – Jammerzine. “Miriam Clancy and her dream theater aesthetic will transport you – with deep cut bass, drum grooves and dreamy synths – a blend of post punk, 80’s new wave, goth, baroque pop and magic itself” Robb Dunker – American Pancake.

Fleeing from the hustle of NYC to the solace in the valley of Pennsylvania’s Appalachian mountains brought about a burst of life, and when UK production on a new project with producer Mike Hedges was delayed by the pandemic, Miriam came up for air closer to home and fell into a perfect working match with musician and producer Jeremy McDonald in Brooklyn’s Mason Jar Studio. Pulling in talented friends Will Graefe and Mike Riddleberger, the four created a delicate rock circle that swells and disappears around Miriam’s voice, along with additional drums and vocals by Sean Mullins and Welcome Wagons’ Vito Aiuto. In Miriam’s own words, “This is the most naturally occurring and quickest album I have made – everything felt right.”

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Miriam Clancy’s exceptional new album Black Heart is out Friday 3 February 2023.

For more Miriam Clancy:
website | instagram | facebook | YouTube
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