Yellow House Psalms of Yellow House LP (Green Marble Vinyl)

Cape Town based songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist Yellow House (real name Emile van Dango) announces his debut album for ODESZA's Foreign Family Collective label, following their collaborative EP Flaws in Our Design from 2023, Psalms of Yellow House.

The conception of the album began when Emile was living secluded in a farm cottage hidden in the mountains of South Africa's Western Cape. Far removed from society, Emile was left to confront his innermost thoughts in stark isolation. Trapped in a cycle of manic bliss and despair, compounded by a battle with substance addiction, this period inspired songs such as "Trouble Always Finds Me," "Leave the City" and "Comedown King." Emile elaborates, "During this period, I reflected on my life and recognized that parts of myself needed to be cut loose to create room for rebirth."

Turning to his music, he tackled the lingering childhood pains, strained relationships, and the challenges of embracing newfound sobriety through his songwriting. With his demons now behind him, Psalms of Yellow House marks a final goodbye to his former self and welcoming a new era. It offers a vulnerable chronicle of life that demonstrates how beauty, power and meaning can be salvaged from the depths of any experience.

Lead single "Trouble Always Finds Me" suggests a relentless battle with adverse forces ("trouble always finds me, it knows when to call"). Throughout the song, Emile reflects on a loss of self and a loss of spiritual connection, using his lyrics to wrestle with a sense of abandonment and the longing for connection. Sonically, this narrative is amplified through a hypnotic pulse of saturated drum machines and minor key synth pads. The vocals are driven and lush, adding to the supernatural ambience of the accompanying subject matter.

Psalms of Yellow House is more than a collection of songs. The project embodies the culmination of a journey that is both artistic and deeply personal. As its namesake suggests, each track is a psalm, a hymn that serves as a reflection of experiences lived and lessons hard-learned.