What started as a somber accordion-led song with Washington, DC songwriter and balladeer Laurel Halsey took on new life with some help from her band, and her drummer’s connection to SC artist Daniel Machado (The Restoration).
Founded in 2017, bassist Mat Williams and drummer/producer Stephen Russ joined DC songwriter Halsey to form Bal Boheme to expand on the soulful piano songs she’d performed since 2014. With the R&B, rock, and jazz influences of her new rhythm section, Halsey’s wry lyrics took on new life. The band recorded their self titled debut EP over three days at Mike Reina’s local studio, The Brink, where the trio found their voice as a band.
Russ, who has been working with the production of the new album from The Restoration, brought in Daniel Machado to add strings to the debut single “Tomorrow”. Slowly building until the four minute mark where the strings come in, the soundscape of the song changes and takes on a more hopeful tone. Early in the song Halsey sings “Who knows what tomorrow holds” and continues to sing about struggling while still being thankful. Ultimately “Tomorrow” closes on a hopeful vibe, but the hope is inspired more by the instruments than the lyrics at this point in the song. Russ mentions that Machado had been listening to a lot of Yanni which influenced the closing of the song, adding that it’s one of the best soundscapes that he’s had the pleasure of producing.
The EP is out September 6 everywhere digital music is sold and available for pre-order at balboheme.bandcamp.com.Â
Bal Boheme celebrate the release of their new EP with Near Northeast at DC9 Thursday, September 6.Â