There’s a mysteriousness to the dark that has attracted people towards it for the better part of existence, and in the music video for her new single “Killer,” pop singer/songwriter Cardamone constructs as surreal an account of darkness flanked with bittersweet light as one can produce within this sort of context. Without overstating a postmodern theme – which has been a frequent visual device in music videos going back to the mid-2010s – Cardamone introduces us to an environment that at times feels more atmospheric and cerebral than it does clubby and dance-centric.
Indeed, “Killer” is sporting a devilishly decadent beat, but beyond its percussive prowess, this is a song that boasts a lush haze that feels far more aligned with foggy memories after a true evening under the bright lights of the New York skyline than most of the mainstream content you’ll hear this summer does. This young talent is pulling out all the stops to make a memorable offering in this release, and for what I look for in new content, hers is some of the more well-defined and assertive material I’ve had the chance of reviewing in the past couple of months.
The main melody in this single is sleek and cosmopolitan, but I think it’s important to mention that a trending minimalist aesthetic is absent from the mix here. There are moments in which the hook feels like something straight out of a throwback vocal pop ballad, only it’s been repackaged organically to leave as much of the plasticity out of the equation entirely.
The result of the filtration in this concept is a harmony that occasionally sounds stripped but never bleached, which is key to the rhythm of the track sounding as influenced by contemporary R&B as it is a vintage pop sound.
There’s a lot of harmony-driven alternative music out on the market right now, but I think “Killer” is one of the better examples of a clandestine assault you’re going to hear from an independent artist this June. Cardamone doesn’t want to overwhelm us with her skill; she wants to develop a layered sound that slowly penetrates our soul, much as some of the legends in vocal pop once did so many decades ahead of her arrival.
I’ve been hearing some really good stuff about this artist as 2023 has come into complete focus, and now that I’ve had a chance to look at the music video for her most recent single, I can understand why critics have been taking a liking to her style. She’s a lot more mature in areas like producing a confident poetic approach and utilizing smart conceptualism for what it’s worth than a lot of her competitors on either side of the dial are at this point in their careers, and if she continues on this trajectory she’s presently on, I believe she’ll score some decent spots on the charts in the next year. This is a fabulous piece, and to me, a reason to keep coming back for more.
