Not Your Saints (NYS) is a multidisciplinary project by musicians Helen and Ben, their musical style is a blend of experimental pop with futuristic electronic aesthetics. Their latest effort titled “Atlas” is an ear-grabbing, heartfelt record that details the never-ending tale of human hardship and turmoil and the innate perseverance that forces us to rise up to the task. The production is absolutely brilliant as it tactfully builds up slowly from a somber and somewhat ominous string texture to form the foundation behind a commanding vocal performance. Helen’s vocals seamlessly engulf the sparse arrangement and both elements create a textured and mesmerizing listening experience.
Helen shares that the lyrics behind “Atlas” were inspired by her own personal experiences during the lockdown where the feeling of hopelessness was high and she used these painful moments to find strength within and was able to push on.
The gripping visuals by director Lea Pech follow an individual who wades through a varying dystopian landscape, from thick creepy forests to foreboding desert-like terrains and aquatic bodies, viewers are taken deep into a whole different world. Pech also employs a 3D animation (courtesy of Julian Rathgeber & Jonas Klein) to add to the cinematic feel of the video.
Not Your Saints (NYS) is a multidisciplinary project that aims to create a space of healing and self-reflection. After the duo met for the first time in Berlin in 2015, a close friendship and different collaborations during musical projects led to the emergence of NYS. Helen and Ben see the music and visuals that make up NYS as a form of emotional expression and journey as heard from their experimental production style and profound personal songwriting. NYS stand for many things, but first and foremost it is about finding peace in the many contradictions of our existence and being okay with feeling multiple different emotions at once.
“Atlas“ is their debut single and sets the stage for multiple upcoming single releases in 2022.
Stream on Apple Music, YouTube, Deezer, Spotify, SoundCloud
Connect with Not Your Saints: SoundCloud | Instagram
