Gilda House – Black and Gold (2025)
Technically formed in 2019 as a solo project, Meg Gildehaus began with a laptop, microphone, and a Scarlett 2i2, but Gilda House was destined for far more than a simple solo piece. Joined by Tony Morales (guitar, keys and backing vocals) and Nick Miles (drums), Gildehaus’s bass synth and lead vocals all entwined seamlessly into the Gilda House sound. Coming from various musical backgrounds with diverse influences from Morales’ metal to Miles’ punk brashness, the US-based threesome shred, swoop, singe, soar, slice, soothe, and celebrate life in all its grit and glory. The latest addition to their discography is the single, ‘Black and Gold’.
Following the well-received 2024 singles ‘How Bad’ and ‘Anam Cara’, Gilda House tackles one of my favourite songs – Sam Sparro’s ‘Black and Gold’. The original hit the radio almost 20 years ago, and I can still hear each note, each beat, each pulsating bar wriggling into my head and sticking there for hours. Today, Gilda House drape a synth-pop musical veil across the original pop sound, hushing the bold beats and toe-tapping pulse of Sparro’s offering. Yet, while the delicate synth bass and keyboards flourish along in its cinematic soundscape, classic rock slices through the melody with rock-filled guitars and a bold drumbeat.
Recorded and produced with Sean Lynch, this ‘Black and Gold’ finds the line between smooth airiness and brash heaviness with an indie-pop twirl. For me, Gilda House’s ‘Black and Gold’ seems similar to Sparro with its silky beginning, but the original track appears punchier, harder, and a little more impactful. Yet, you should not judge this band until you hear everything. Where Sparro brimmed with pulsating beats, Gilda House brings their thwack, punch, and hearty stamp mid-way through with the rock-flared guitar and drums.
Silky and warm with an ethereal glow, Meg Gildehaus’s delicate vocals are fragile and fairy-like, but despite the fragility, the weightiness of the lyricism comes across with charm. Following ‘How Bad’ and ‘Anam Cara’s celebration of a newfound freedom, ‘Black and Gold’ explore the USA’s “current state of sharp division and bitter criticism by adding a chorus of venerating union in a dark and lonely universe…”
Find out more about Gilda House on their official website, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
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