Helsinki-based GEA has become known in recent years for the sweet, celestial sound of her voice and marrying traditional Nordic folk music and ambient electronica. It’s been a beautiful marriage of styles in her releases so far, garnering her recognition in a number of genres, including EDM. With her new single “The Truth Between the Lies,” there’s a new power behind her music as well as a new format.
Last year GEA released a number of singles, all of which were different from what fans may have come to know as her usual style. Ranging from fully instrumental and traditional to more EDM-based, these singles were the portends of “The Truth Between the Lies.” Easily her most obviously electronic track to date, it combines a vintage industrial beat and music arrangement that, with GEA’s operatic vocal range, sounds like if Kate Bush were to team up with Power Station or Duran Duran. The production and instrumentals are thanks to Canadian guitarist Chris Birkett and the collaboration really paid off both in terms of the music and in what GEA wanted to say with this song.
The lyrics for “The Truth Between the Lies” deviate a bit from GEA’s more organic, uplifting usual work still very esoteric in quality, the title pretty much says it all. Some might interpret it as being political but it’s more political in the sense of the “Cave of Shadows” story in Plato’s Republic than specifically targeting any modern politics. It’s about separating the lies of the physical world from the truth of the inner world and the work it can sometimes take to get there. The song is still uplifting in this way, as GEA empowers the listener by stating clearly that there’s another way to see the world.
And it all happened right in front of her eyes; You were invaded engaged in all those lies; And it all happens right in front of our eyes You can’t escape it: the truth between the lies.
For the video, which released on YouTube at the same time as the song, GEA teamed up with film team BYNEW and animator Raimi Nikkari to create a simple and smooth visual animation that looks sort of like stop motion with sand painting but with digital static. The video is somewhat abstract but follows the lyrics and sort of “Cave of Shadows” but in space vibe the musicians were going for. Watching it, the video brings the track to an even more heart-based place through its landscapes and very abstract concepts. The video is a great compliment for this song, where both musicians and videographers allow the audience to feel and interpret however they’d like.
It will be interesting to see where GEA goes with her next single, and if she will continue on this industrial/dream pop fusion path but longer. As she continues to stretch and grow her style, it seems this artist won’t be pinned down to one genre, but it doesn’t matter because her message and voice are so extraordinary. Needless to say, she’s still one to watch whether you’re into indie, EDM or folk music.
“The Truth Between the Lies” is out now on Fragity Records and is available to stream on Spotify. Check out GEA’s YouTube channel as well for more breathtaking videos.
