Valley Latini. Photo by Jack Payne.
Most of Valley Latini’s music is ideal mise en scène for nights of excess. Her new song, “Dark Corners,” deals with the temptation of these extremes, the toxic places and people we’re drawn to in spite of the consequences. The track begins with a quote from the book Shadow of the Soul by the Russian poet Bella Dizhur, read by Bo Chapli. A hazy synth pad builds in intensity as Latini enters.
“Your mouth tastes like drugs / When we make out, make out,” the New York-via-Bogotá artist sings as the synth melts into pulsing bass and drums beneath her. “In dark corners / Butterfly, you’re in my mind.” She goes on to describe a one-sided infatuation that starts to feel less and less healthy, especially when a lovesick electric guitar enters the mix.
“’Dark Corners’ was written about the experience [of] going out with friends in different clubs which are considered my ‘dark corners,’ and it’s inspired by recent events in my romantic life as well,” Latini tells The FADER. The track is produced by Jack Payne and Kayci Rothweiler, the latter of whom also shot its music video alongside Latini herself.
“[Kayci and Jack] showed me the bare bones of the track that they had already co-produced with me in mind,” Latini explains. “Kayci wrote the lyrics of the song with me, but we all had some input into the musical elements and sound choices.
“The video,” she specifies, “is inspired by darkness and wetness; the rain represents the dark corners of my mind.” Watch it below.
Latini will premiere “Dark Corners” live tonight (August 24) at 44 Bowery in Manhattan’s Chinatown with support from Slic, Sexpays, DJ Shallow, Moistbreezy, and Felipe Gonzalez. RSVP here, and scroll past the video to see the flyer for the show.
