It’s likely that you’ve never heard of Helena Gao. She’s unsigned, essentially an entirely new presence, but she already shows a deeply realized flair for intricate, moving songwriting.
She fell in love with music early on in life, being taught piano at a young age, but it wasn’t until she discovered Logic 9, and what she sees as the infinite possibilities of producing music herself, that her aspirations and vision truly snapped into place.
Aside from an eight-minute EP, this is her first proper offering, written, recorded, and produced on her lonesome, and Beats Per Minute is very pleased to premiere “Beach House”. It’s a work of beauty that nearly seems nervous of its own grace, as if its aware that it could crumble away at any moment. It possesses a genuine, serene sense of grandeur, all while retaining an immediate sense of longing and intimacy. In short, it’s damned beautiful.
It opens quietly, giving the feeling of being outdoors, having wandered far from anywhere familiar, straying from a bastion onto windswept shores, with violin and bells entering the picture before her graceful, fragile piano playing. Which is to say nothing of her vocals, which possess an alluring, haunting quality, her words echoing with such grace as to strike the listener squarely in their deepest moments of privacy.
There’s little more we can say that won’t dull the experience for yourself, so check out “Beach House” out below.
With more coming soon, make sure to follow Helena Gao on Facebook and Instagram.
