Today, Brooklyn-based enigmatic singer-songwriter Chris Garneau shares a brand new single entitled ‘Ballard’.

‘Ballard’ was written by Chris Garneau, produced and recorded by Patrick Higgins (solo eponymous project, Zs, Nicolas Jaar) at his studio in Upstate New York. Since 2018, Higgins has produced various dynamic singles for Garneau, as well as his fifth full-length, ‘The Kind’ (2021). With ‘Ballard’, Garneau came with a demo and a strong vision which Higgins helped to transform into a mesmerizing, stunning ballad combining synthesizers, percussion, and atmospheric samples from Garneau’s original demo. The track shifts from dreamy pop into an epic, sweeping soundscape. ‘Ballard’ is the first single off Garneau’s upcoming EP, out this Fall.

Speaking on the track, Garneau wrote: “I wrote this song after a vivid dream I had last Summer where I met and fell in love with a vampire. We agreed he could drink the blood from my neck, turning me, but two days later he disappeared. I never saw him again, not in my dreams, not in real life. Even though it all happened while I was sleeping it stuck with me for a while, I couldn’t stop thinking about it for months until I finally wrote the song to get it out. I felt like I was hallucinating sometimes, like that it really happened. It was bizarre. Sort of hot, kinda fun, but also felt fucked up. Ultimately I was relieved to let go of the feeling”.

On June 15, Garneau played his first US show with a full band in support of ‘The Kind’. The record was produced by Patrick Higgins (eponymous solo project, Zs, Nicolas Jaar) and recorded in a 19th-century German Lutheran church in Upstate New York.

Throughout his career, Garneau has explored a wide breadth of sonic territory. ‘Yours’, his previous studio album (2018), was an expansive world of many textures, one that showcased his prowess as a composer and his ability to create rich sensory landscapes. With ‘The Kind’, Garneau reigns in focus, reconnects with himself, and returns to the grounded, pared-down composition of his beloved debut album ‘Music For Tourists’.

Garneau performs at Joe’s Pub after a recent European tour on June 15, and will offer a dynamic set featuring songs from his entire catalogue.

Headline photo: Frank Correa

Chris Garneau Official Website / Facebook / Instagram / Twitter / Bandcamp / Spotify