A French-born American singer, Lola Delon blends influences like Joni Mitchell and Aretha Franklin into her genre-crossing sound, from soul to experimental pop. Now residing in Burgundy, surrounded by nature, she brings a unique depth to her music. Art Bleek, a French-born composer and producer now based in Los Angeles, is known for his eclectic music spanning electronic and acoustic styles. With collaborations across various genres and a history of deejaying, his work reflects a rich diversity of influences. Together, Art Bleek and Lola Delon formed the music duo ARLO, combining their talents to write songs that merge their varied influences and creative styles.
Through thick, bluesy guitar riffs, attention-demanding vocals emerge as Arlo crafts a captivating ballad on “Diamond.” The duo’s new single is a minimalistic ballad that leaves the bells and whistles to the side, leaving only Delon’s rugged vocal delivery and Bleek’s nuanced production tactics to carry the grungey ballad. Their country influences creep through the neck-breaking guitar melodies to give the heavy melodies some levity, but the harsh realities that the lyrics paint bring you back down to earth in a crashing fashion. Delon delivers detailed imagery of a love gone wrong as her complex harmonies create a dense forest of passionate emotions that tangle and weave through the thudding guitars. “Diamond” finds Arlo to be their most comfortable. The intense feelings behind the lyrics seemingly drive the dark yet infectious melodies that sit on each other in a way that feels left-field yet pure, thanks to the anchor of the guitar riffs. Arlo refuses to be placed into one genre, and “Diamond” is the soulfully twangy, hard-rock ballad that emphasizes this sentiment.
