Jane Paknia Shares New Single 'Whirlpool' From Debut LP 'Orchid Underneath'

Singer, synth musician, and composer Jane Paknia will release her debut EP, Orchid Underneath, on April 26th via Eat Your Own Ears Recordings and Everybody's Records. To herald the EP, she shares a new single “Whirlpool.” Earlier singles included the BBC Radio 6-supported “Glimmers” and “Plasma Princess.”

“Whirlpool” hypnotizes with its drawn out 6/4 time signature. The synths and Paknia's voice each emerge from lower registers, rising higher as the beat stays muffled and submerged. From in-between, the listener becomes caught in their current, lulled by soothing, repetitive elements. Midway through, when the beat shifts into 6/8, it's like gently coming up for air. The track finishes on a crescendo, rising out of the murk towards a satisfying catharsis.

Paknia shared the inspirations behind the track: “I see ‘Whirlpool' as a dark and liquid world of its own—it has moments of hi-def beauty and glimmer amidst a really moody and mysterious sludge. The groove came first: minor chords, time shifts, key changes--in its conception it's a song that's funky and strange. I just loved the process of production, working with Previn and John to create something so simultaneously pretty and scary, ethereal and gritty. That duality gives me life and gives character and shape to the music I'm trying to create.

“I wrote the lyrics looking back on plans I had made—plans to see the sun rise on the last leap day with a friend I had a difficult falling out with afterward...I imagined seeing dawn through a glass door and the confusion and pain when it cracks and is no longer see-through. At the time, about two years ago, I was pulling myself out of and getting sucked back into so much heartbreak, self-doubt, and this broken vision of the future. I've grown so much since then and I've gotten to see myself and my music take shape and blossom—it's really powerful and circular to me that it's being released on a leap day again, where I've seen so much more and found so much new hope.”

Equally mesmerizing, Orchid Underneath pulls listeners further into Paknia's free-form world, where pop, techno, and jazz coalesce in beguiling compositions. Brainfeeder, a longtime influence on Paknia, shows its significance across the project, with jazz percussion and saxophones placed against galactic, sci-fi electronic sounds.

Meanwhile, Paknia's love of dance music and vocalists like Caroline Polachek shines through on the synthpop romp of the title track. An adventurous, brave introduction, Orchid Underneath is as singular as its creator, who, already skilled and accomplished in so much at a young age, lies at the precipice of an exciting artistic career.

About Jane Paknia

Paknia began her unique and alluring musical career learning classical piano at the age of four, taught to her by her Iranian grandmother, a rising star in the conservatory before leaving Iran. Untethered & unconstrained, Jane's musical talent expanded to brass, playing in jazz ensembles, orchestras, and creating original, modern, big band compositions. Having spent the last few years touring and playing across the US and Europe as a synth-keyboardist for the likes of Sarah Kinsley, Thumpasaurus, and Maude Latour, Jane is delighted to launch into her own musical world.

Drawing influences from the likes of KNOWER, Charli XCX, and Flying Lotus, Paknia delivers an imaginative and energetic offering, combining a deep foundation of sound and composition with a euphoric, futuristic pop edge. Jane's debut single in August 2023, “Glimmers,” gained early support from BBC6 Music's New Music Fix. This was followed by a brilliant remix from South African producer John Wizards and preceding single, “Plasma Princess.”

Preorder/save Orchid Underneath EP HERE.

Photo Credit: Ella Smolarz

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