Julia Gaeta Shares Single + Video “Fragments of Pain”
Julia Gaeta shares the third single from her upcoming EP Blur Divine. “Fragments of Pain” she says, “…is about someone who is in deep limerence, who lives in a fantasy. They watch another from afar, looking for clues and meaning that the object of their obsession might love them back, but all they’re really seeing is reflections of themself. This track draws from my love of 90s pop and big choruses about saccharine love, but it’s really a dark song about delusion.”
Blur Divine isn’t just a collection of love songs – quite the opposite. These are unlove songs veiled in facades of closeness, distorted reality and warped perceptions. They tell the story of how loving someone can sometimes mean walking the perilous path of losing oneself, and in order to balance the scales once again, the act of unloving another becomes of utmost importance. Visual themes on this EP – on the cover, in the video etc – are of absinthe and murky swamps, representing the continual warping of reality that can easily swallow those who feel the most.
Gaeta has been inspired by personal events, stories of those around her, and perhaps most of all: the push-pull energy of gritty Paris nights. Her perception of the city feels constantly in flux – a testament to the idea that we create our own realities.
The EP was mostly written between two locations in Paris, beginning in 2020 pandemic lockdowns, after Gaeta had just moved to Paris from Berlin. One was a sublet in the 8th floor of a 1970s apartment complex, with renowned Père Lachaise Cemetery as her backyard and the sprawling cityscape of Paris in the front. The apartment felt like a lo-fi sex dungeon with faux leather curtains, fetishwear found in closets, mysterious stains and a mirror surrounding the bed. To Gaeta, it represented a window into a collective psyche, of others’ pain and pleasure. The second location was more isolated from much of the city’s hustle and bustle, providing an introspective and personal space to create. These dual locations certainly influenced the record’s dynamic.
In late 2021, Gaeta linked up with James “Perturbator” Kent, who took an interest in the track’s dark trip-hop sound. He produced and mixed the track, which coincided with a video by filmmaker David Fitt – an ode to Paris nights.
In 2023, when Gaeta had a full EP complete, she reached out to LA-based producer Alex DeGroot, who is particularly adept at blending organic and electronic sounds, and the two worked across the miles to bring Blur Divine to life.
CHECK OUT THE MUSIC VIDEO FOR “FRAGMENTS OF PAIN” HERE
FEATURED INTERVIEW:
Your new song “Fragments of Pain” has elements of noise, rock, pop and electronic all in one track. How would you describe the genre and sound of “Fragments of Pain” if you had to put it in your own words?
I think “Fragments of Pain” is like a late 90s/early 2000s pop song wrapped in a post-punk shell. I usually describe my sound simply as “dark pop” for this reason – there are lots of alt and goth elements blended in there, but since I’m a sucker for a big chorus, that influence will probably always come through.
The music video for “Fragments of Pain” is equal parts spooky and sexy. What are you hoping fans feel when they see the music video for the first time?
You got it. It’s a song about obsession and limerance, and the cycles our mind goes into when we start becoming infatuated with someone. It’s altogether bizarre, freaky and naïve – a one-sided and idealist perspective that sometimes just feels too good to let go of.
A lot of the sound on Blur Divine harkons to an 80s synth/noise era. What inspired your new EP in terms of its sound?
It’s hard to pinpoint any particular musical acts that influenced it, although there are certainly many. From Killing Joke (especially with guitar – RIP Geordie), Depeche Mode and Souxsie, to Alice In Chains, and 90s bubblegum pop or modern avant-pop acts who inspire me with both music and visuals. There’s also the influence of my parents, who are both retired classical musicians. It’s a bit of everything, and i’m just channeling it the best I can!
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