Drawing us in with an atmospheric synthscape and ethereal vocals singing, “Phantom, phantom, rise for me…”, Sara Diana opens Phantom with intrigue and high drama. The opus expands with a pulsating beat and haunting textures as we are taken on a journey that feels otherworldly and irresistibly danceable.
We immediately connect with the theatrical energy. Sara Diana‘s vocal performance and production are sublime. There is a lovely cohesive elegance that manifests with the ethereal delivery and the driving pop production. We are reminded of Lady Gaga in those moments where pop becomes something more cinematic, expressive and theatrical.
We are particularly drawn to the microtonal harmonies. These give the vocal arrangements a haunting quality, perfect for the poignant Halloween release date. It feels surrealist and helps to create that phantom-like atmosphere.
There is no doubt that the song holds a cinematic allure, perfect for a sync placement in a movie like Forbidden Fruits, The Craft, Jennifer’s Body, Suspiria, The Neon Demon, Beetlejuice or Last Night in Soho, as well as a series such as Wednesday, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, American Horror Story, Euphoria or The Vampire Diaries. In addition to Lady Gaga, fans of BANKS, Allie X and Poppy should find plenty to connect with here.
At just 20, independent singer-songwriter and performer Sara Diana is already exploring an intriguing blend of poetic storytelling, raw emotion and atmospheric pop. Needless to say, we are obsessed, and have added Phantom to our New Music Spotlight playlist, and our TIMELESS and TRIPPY playlists, whist we continue to stream the rising artist’s wider discography, including Her Hair’s Like Fire, Body Ache, Vegas and Pocket Poetry.