We last checked in on Léa Sen as a part of our Discovery series, an artist spotlight in which we put forth some of the under-the-radar talent poised for serious next steps. In chalking off Sampha and Joy Orbison co-signs, French singer Léa Sen absolutely fit the bill, and no to say “we told you so,” but the singer beginning to build towards a debut album makes us feel all the more confident in our bet. With the first Léa Sen full-length queued up for summer, she just dropped off “Video Games,” the second single from that project.
“Video Games” Teases The Next Steps In The Léa Sen Signature Sound
Though there is certainly development in the song, it comes almost entirely in the absence of verses, a structural connection to Sen’s lyrics. She continually hints at this idea of being “stuck inside,” be it thematically trapped in the game or on a metaphorical level inside of the backwards-facing nostalgia she experiences throughout the narrative.
If there’s one piece of artistic growth to note for Léa Sen on “Video Games,” it’s tapping into this uncanny, liminal sort of atmosphere, partially propelled by how stealthily each chorus section slips back into itself. The constant presence of reverb-filled guitar lines goes a long way in establishing that, particularly effective as Sen pitches up her voice to sing the titular phrase to match the underlying melody.
Finally, from a strategic standpoint, “Video Games” would appear to be central to the budding narrative for LEVELS as a whole. She delivers multiple allusions to the “levels going by” towards the midpoint of the track, and though in typical fashion she leaves the true meaning a bit opaque, this concept of stasis and life zooming past you appears to be a crucial one for this debut outing.
LEVELS releases on May 30th. In the meantime, check out the recent Léa Sen singles, “Video Games” and “Home Alone,” wherever you stream your music.
Elsewhere in our coverage, Doechii – Anxiety is rocketing up the charts as the Tampa rapper issues her own solo version.
