Hot on the heels of Louise Carver’s infectious #1 charting single ‘Nothing Feels Good Without You’ comes Dark Secrets, her highly anticipated seventh studio album filled with many more opportunities to explore her rich tapestry of dream pop sounds.
Armed with no less than five producers, each adds to the ethereal tone of Louise’s most revealing collection, filled with multiple juxtaposing themes of joy, desire, reflection, regret, and resolve.
Anchored in contemporary sophistication, Dark Secrets lays bare, exposing what makes us all human, desire and being desired, all teased out in enticing melodies and contemplative lines.
In approaching this album, her intention and focus behind each new song came to life from a place of authenticity and honesty. “The genre inspiration that informed this album came from the early 90s, sophisticated pop sound called ‘dream pop’,” Louise shares. “Mazzy Star and Portishead then, and Billy Eilish now is known for that sound, and it made me curious to hear how that type of production could potentially elevate the new songs.”
Sonically, Dark Secrets is not shy of swirls of sounds, infused with a luscious layering of synths and synth guitar, where no one dominates the other, to reveal great textures and acoustic waves. That, coupled with an intentional vocal tempo, drives each song’s intention home.
“I’m always writing, I’m always reflecting, and more recently, I found myself experiencing a sense of normalcy in my life that I’d never allowed myself to experience before. I wanted a break from an environment that was great for songwriting but bad for my mental well-being,” says Louise. Finding that utopia fed into what truly drives Louise as a creative.
“Fantasy and desire erupted,” she explains. “The song that inspired this entire album was ‘Dark Secrets’. I had never written anything like that in my life, triggered by meeting a person where the connection was palpable but never realised. My ethics won the day, but I found the entire process fascinating, so ‘Dark Secrets’ is a real reveal card triggered by one interaction that informed the album’s genesis.”
WATCH THE LYRIC VIDEO FOR DARK SECRETS HERE
Despite being amazed that the song came out of her, Louise knew exactly what she wanted it to sound like. For context, this was around February 2020. “I sent the raw track to Rob Cowling at Gallo Record Company, and he recommended I take it to Audio Militia,” Louise recalls. “So, I met with the Executive Creative Director Craig Hawkins and played him the track. Some of the other producers were close by and he called them in to take a listen. Craig immediately started to produce ‘Dark Secrets’ and I started to meet other producers at Audio Militia who worked on more of my songs, until an album was born.”
Chic sensuality, coupled with a cheeky wink to pop sensibility, Dark Secrets pulls no punches in its intention to stimulate us all in the best possible ways.
Due to COVID, we all had more time on our hands than we bargained for. For Louise, that was spent confronting and taming multiple demons. Throughout our numerous lockdowns, she used the rare opportunity to process her feelings, ambitions, and yearnings, all of which she exorcised in making this album.
Thanks to the album’s many manifest themes, there’s something on Dark Secrets for everyone.
Never afraid to try new things, Louise’s production boot camp with Audio Militia in realising this album confirms her confident perpetual dexterity, curiosity, connection, and genuine talent to turn an audience on.
STREAM DARK SECRETS ALBUM HERE
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