Blonde Diamond raise Red Flags over a toxic relationship in their darkly delicious new dream-pop track — premiering exclusively on Tinnitist.
The second single from the Vancouver alt-pop group’s upcoming debut album, the seductive slow-burner reads like a compelling cautionary tale — a retrospective of moments leading up to the realization that a seemingly fairytale romance has slowly evolved into a twisted, manipulative stronghold. Inside the first few bars of the track, the group grab you with all the hallmarks of their signature sound: energetic drums, slinky keys, dreamy guitars, groovy bass, and intimate vocals.
Lead vocalist Alexis Young says she wrote Red Flags to help break the silence that so many people feel about speaking up about abusive relationships. “Post the breakup of a very long relationship and at a particularly vulnerable moment in my life, through a chance encounter I found myself in a relationship that was — on its surface — everything that I was seemingly looking for,” she says. “The romance, the infatuation, the lust. It was the type of affair that you only read about in books and see in films. However, the red flags had presented themselves from the get-go and I initially ignored them. I wanted to see the good in this person, and believe that I could be a strong and positive force in their life.
“When it finally got to the point that I allowed myself to accept that it was abusive and emotionally manipulative, I felt stupid, and ashamed that I could be so naïve and easily coerced into such a spiral of entrapment and darkness. I wanted to write this song not just as a form of healing for my own experience, but also as a message to others that you CAN walk away. That you’re not alone. And that it’s easy to get swept up and lose perspective when you’re in the eye of the storm.”
Blonde Diamond are no strangers to the whirlwind — thanks to their soundscape of synth-pop bliss and unapologetic, captivating lyricism, the quartet have been on a dazzling trajectory lately. The dream-popsters have graced stages across Canada, Europe, Australia, the U.S., and India, sharing bills with Portugal. The Man, Broken Social Scene, Bishop Briggs, Chromeo, Mother Mother and others. Their newest offerings hone in on their strongest assets — Young’s vocal prowess, reinforced by the band’s ethereal instrumentals. Red Flags is the perfect summation of their tagline: What the ’60s thought the future would sound like. The group’s eagerly awaited full-length debut record is expected in 2022.
Red Flags will be available on Nov. 19 on Spotify, Apple Music/iTunes, and other digital retailers and streaming services worldwide. Listen to the song above, hear more from Blonde Diamond below, and find them at their website, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
