Tempo Talks: A Conversation with Delta Of Venus
THE RELEASE
With a pair of companion pieces collective titled “Disengaged b/w Slipping”, shoegaze/indie pop band Delta of Venus have recently released their first-ever music video, which is available to view on YouTube.
Delta of Venus describes the new video as a retelling of the story of Joan of Arc leading “a movement of feminine resistance set in modern-day Mystic, CT.” The video depicts two young women stylized as punk incarnations of Joan of Arc traversing the city to spread their message. For me, the most stunning part of the video was the series of tableaus, which paint compelling portraits of female power and consciousness.
The video is paired with the two-part “Disengaged b/w Slipping,” a duo of songs which fade into another to create a dreamy musical experience. The lyrics, which are vague but poetic, explore universal themes of commitment, devotion, betrayal, and introspection, and the vocalist, Issy, delivers them with hypnotic sincerity. Lines like “I’m fighting / I’m trying to lose / If I win / Maybe I’ll lose you” capture a mature sense of irony that some songwriters work their whole lives to achieve.
One of Delta of Venus’s biggest strengths is their ability to effortlessly marry lyrics and music together. The song’s musical backdrop consists of crisp, clean electric guitars and synthesized string sections, and it adds layers of undertones that elevate the lyrics to new life.
In keeping with the band’s shoegaze roots, the music characterized by an echoey, ethereal quality that seems to tap into the dreamscape of the subconscious. For me, the elegant interplay between the music, lyrics, and visuals culminated in a strong but simple message: Revolution, whether on a personal or cosmic scale, begins with an awakening of the heart and mind.
THE INTERVIEW
Congratulations on the release of your first video! Can you tell us a little bit about the process of creating it?
The concept of the video was totally envisioned by Michelle Gemma. She realized the Joan of Arc myth re-interpretation would dovetail the lyrical intentions of Issy.
You described your video as “reimagining the narrative arc of Joan of Arc, had she lived beyond her nineteen years, and lead a movement of feminine resistance set in modern-day Mystic, CT. What roles to history and feminism play in your artistic philosophy?
The End of The Patriarchy.
The video isn’t just for one standalone song. It consists of two separate but complimentary pieces. What made you decide to pair the “Disengaged” and “Slipping” together?
I was in a band with a bunch of Mystic Disc kids in the early 2010s. We recorded a massive single in 2013 with Daniel Schlett at Strange Weather Studios in Brooklyn, and I thought it would be a great idea to create a long form video over both songs to attract attention to Slander in the end period of the initial music blog era. It worked:
www.stereogum.co.../news/
Musically, you have a very original and inspired sound. What are some of your musical influences?
I can confidently say Cocteau Twins changed all of our lives.
Now that your video is out, what’s next for you?
We have already recorded our follow up single and anticipate a May 2025 release.
KEEP UP WITH DELTA OF VENUS BELOW: