Austin-based quintet Sasha and the Valentines have revealed plans for their debut album: it’s called So You Think You Found Love? and comes out on April 16 through Oof Records. That playful insouciance of the album title is also evident in lead single and album opener “Witches”, about which they say:
“Writing “Witches” started as a chord progression on my Acetone organ and I got hooked on the feel of it. I loved how spooky the organ felt compared to the clean bright tone of the guitar. Lyrically, I wrote the song about past relationships where I had the tendency to psychoanalyze my partners. I felt like a witch that could pull secrets and inner thoughts out of my lovers. It also points to a softer part of me that can always sense when someone is hurting and how I want to take away their problems.“
Built on a staccato organ, “Witches” immediately catches your attention and brings to mind camp spooky stories – in the best way possible. Sasha and the Valentines build around this to create a swooning power-pop potion where vocalist Sarah Addi’s voice is the key ingredient. She drapes her teasing reflections and subtle provocations across the band’s plush and swooning arrangement, and while she reflects on past emotional struggles, her presence is undeniably appealing and enticing. Building to a chorus of ethereal backing vocals and a fist-clenching admissions of wrongdoing, “Witches” is one that should have you swaying along in your bedroom, lost in dramatic dreams of love and intimacy.
Below you can watch the video for “Witches”, which they say has “visual influences ranging from The Love Witch, to Marcel Marceau, to The Addams Family… Shooting on 8mm film gave it an energy of antiquity that fit alongside the slapstick-esque moments.”
Sasha and the Valentines’ debut album So You Think You Found Love? is out on April 16 via Oof Records. You can find the band on Bandcamp, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
