Philadelphia songwriter/producer Delv releases her ethereal track “Two Shadows” off her recent album “Waning”. While incorporating serene acoustic guitar and Delv’s angelic vocals, she decided to broaden her sound with the addition of electronic production through vibrant soundscapes and harmonic synths. While sharing introspective stories that come straight from the heart, Delv is back at it again with her recent hit “Two Shadows”. Chills run up our spine as Delve serenades us with her vocals full of breath and peace. By bringing in her folk influences, she’s able to translate the poise of folk music while giving it her own spin through surreal acoustic guitar and lush vocals.
Starting out with pensive and heartfelt acoustic guitar picking, “Two Shadows” maintains this dreamy instrumentation throughout the entirety of the song, giving it nothing but emotion and depth. As Delv’s delicate vocals take the stage, her layered vocals let out a placid and transcendent harmony that expands the song even more. What we’ve noticed so far is Delv’s ability to shine a light on vulnerable emotions and connect with her audience on a cerebral level. She sings heartfelt lyrics of not wanting a relationship to run its course and taking time to smell the roses with her partner. “Two Shadows” shares the infinite and deep running emotions that Delv intends to portray, yet that we can also relate to.
You can listen to "Two Shadows" here.
Hey Delv, welcome to BuzzMusic! Your recent hit “Two Shadows” brings us a sense of calm during these unpredictable days. Could you expand on where Delv found inspiration for the song's message and overall atmosphere?
This song is actually about my husband. We found each other during a really transitional and vague moment in both of our lives. And we were nightcrawlers at the time, falling in love and exploring the depths of ourselves and our new relationship during after hours. I wrote about what it was like to fall in love with him, to find solace and safety in just being inside of that feeling even if there was no direction.
The experience of being in love really actually makes everything else that used to feel important just melt away. I think that’s what I really wanted to talk about. About how no other goal, achievement, or direction mattered as long as I got to wander inside the present with him. Just two figures dancing. I want to bring that sort of presence to everything I do.
At the time I wrote this song, it was also raining for like a week in LA which is so rare and lovely. I love the rain because it gives you permission to be slow and introspective. LA is always so sunny and fast-paced. I took advantage of that time and really reflected on what was in my heart at the moment. I’m sure that the rain translated into a calm feeling in the song.
Speaking on your song “Two Shadows”, the underlying instrumentation sounds to be at a minimum, letting your vocals stand strong and clear. Why did Delv want to create more of an acoustic sounding folk song, rather than adding in your notable electronic production?
Something about this piece felt like it grew from a deeper, more delicate root in me. So, I chose for it to be distinct from the others. I also wanted the listener to feel like I was speaking directly to them and didn’t want to muddle the vulnerability with too much instrumentation. When there are fewer distractions, there’s really no choice but to listen to the steady letter I was reading aloud throughout the song.
We’ve heard hat Delv strives to incorporate atmospheres (whether positive or negative) that reflect human vulnerability. Could you share how Delv went through with this on your song “Two Shadows’?
It’s hard to answer this because all of the creative choices I make are always in the moment. So, I guess that would innately make it vulnerable. But, the first thing that comes to my mind is that I usually know I’m going to keep a song if I drop a tear or two when I write it. That sounds cheesy, but it's a legitimate part of my creative process. I have no control over it, it gets pulled directly from my guts. And that’s when I know it's genuine.
For this song, I really just tuned in to whatever the song needed. This one asked me to be quiet, so I was. And I always try to incorporate atmospheric sounds that add to the texture and feel of a piece, like the backdrop of a painting. I think if my sound was painted it would be watercolor. Not really distinct or driving, not always with precision or within my full control, but the soundscapes are there to aid the overall emotion of a song.
In regards to your debut album “Waning”, you’ve mentioned that the project’s story is one of introspection, uncertainty and evolving towards a sense of self. What does Delv want your audience to takeaway for the album as a whole, and what songs stand out for you the most?
If I were to pick one song, though, that I think lyrically represents the whole album it would be “Back of My Hands”. The piece takes you through the idea of all the lives and deaths we experience in one lifetime. The shedding, the intense moment of a realization, and the rebirth. And that’s what growth is, really. It’s letting go of something old, an idea or a habit, so you can invite something new. Even if that experience is painful, it is necessary. And that’s really what the album is about, it’s all about the experience of transitions, growth, and transformation. Whatever that means to each person.
There’s a Tibetan proverb I’m thinking of that says, “Wisdom is like rainwater, it gathers in the lowest places”. I think that’s the idea I tried to carry throughout the album.
What can we expect to see from you throughout 2020?
I think it's hard to say right now. Everything has been so unpredictable, it's difficult to plan. So, I’m writing. I’m always writing. Almost so much that I forget to perform! But, right now I’m experimenting with some pieces and seeing where they go until I can play some shows!