Roberto Carlos Lange, aka Helado Negro, continues to tease the anticipated release of his forthcoming album This Is How You Smile. Today, he delivers a new single off the album, “Running,” a rumination about trying to escape your past but repeating the same patterns.
The soul-inspired single – which follows the previously released singles “Please Won’t Please” and “País Nublado” – is accompanied by a video directed by David Merten. In it, a young man, well, runs – getting tired and then catching his second wind. While this might seem too on the nose, there’s something about the framing of the shots and fast-paced editing that suggests repetition and frustration, a theme from the song that the director successfully recreates in a visual medium.
“‘Running’ is a poem,” Lange explains. “In it, I’ve buried sentiments and personal histories. Most of it is just for me and some for you.” The artist also shares that the song began as a voice memo recording made outside a restaurant during a visit to Mexico City in 2016; it was later fleshed out in March 2018 at Sylvan Esso’s studio in Durham.
The downtempo ballad features a steady live drum beat and is anchored by a “beautiful Steinway baby grand piano” owned by a friend of Lange’s and located in the studio he used for the This Is How You Smile sessions. “A cool photo of [my friend’s] grandfather sitting at the same piano was across from me, overseeing it and watching me. The combination of the room, the piano and microphone placement was the exact sound I wanted the recordings for the album to have,” Lange remembers.
“Running” continues an amazing build up to one of our most anticipated albums of the year. Watch the video for below:
Upcoming Helado Negro Tour Dates:
02/19 – Toronto, ON @ Sony Centre for the Performing Arts*
02/21 – Milwaukee, WI @ Pabst Theatre*
02/22 – Chicago, IL @ Riviera Theatre*
02/23 – St. Paul, MN @ Palace Theatre*
02/26 – Vancouver, BC @ Orpheum Theatre*
02/27 – Seattle, WA @ Paramount Theatre*
02/28 – Portland, OR @ Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall*
03/02 – Oakland, CA @ Fox Theater*
05/10 – Los Angeles, CA – Walt Disney Concert Hall – w/ Lila Downs
* support for Beirut