UK-based indie pop duo Karamelien present their second single, called ‘Lionhearts’. A sumptuous, uplifting track about love and unity in difficult times, this was produced by RIDE frontman Mark Gardener at OX4 Sound near Oxford. The accompanying video was created by Eveshka Ghost.
Karamelien makes soaring perfect pop. Based in East Grinstead, this duo is singer-songwriter Léanie Kaleido and guitarist Mark Foster – two long-time friends. The breezy heartened video, created by Eveshka Ghost, perfectly captures the elevated spirit of this song and its creators.
‘Lionhearts was inspired by the past couple of years, during which we’ve all been getting so despondent, confronted by negativity in the news and social media. Covid and other diseases, war, climate change and so on. When actually, there is so much love in the world, good things being achieved, communities coming together, positive things happening,” says Léanie Kaleido.
“A friend of mine suggested I write something to convey that and the song happened pretty quickly for me! The idea of the heart of a lion is something that has cropped up in my songs before and comes from my Buddhist practice, which uses that expression a lot and feels so empowering.”
This project brings Léanie Kaleido’s music into new exciting territory, following up her critically acclaimed 2021 album ‘How To Weigh A Whale Without A Scale’, also produced by Mark Gardener.
Earlier, Karamelien debuted with the grooved-out ‘Ascension Heights’ single, featuring a sample from the track of the same name by Top Topham’, who is not only Kaleido’s father but also The Yardbirds’ original guitarist before Eric Clapton assumed his place. Only 15 at the time, he was pressured to leave the band to pursue Art studies. Eventually signed to Mike Vernon’s Blue Horizon label as a solo artist, Topham again re-joined The Yardbirds a few years ago during their 50th anniversary tour.
A really moving Father / Daughter work of beauty, this song also features former Earth, Wind & Fire bassist Mo Pleasure, whose CV includes collaborations with Ray Charles, Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson. With guidance from Paul Statham (Dido, Simple Minds, Kylie Minogue, Sophie Ellis Bextor, Natalie Imbruglia) in sampling her father’s track, Kaleido performed the pre-production work from her home studio.
‘Lionhearts’ and ‘Ascension Heights’ are out now and are available everywhere digitally, including Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp.