REVIEW: Leni Black — “Barcelona Butterflies” (Single)

Lyrical duality is essential to a successful career as a singer/songwriter, and if this is still the case through the duration of the 2020s, I think Leni Black should count on seeing a lot of good fortune coming her way on the back of songs like her debut single, “Barcelona Butterflies.” Written from personal experience but stylized as to be relatable to pretty much anybody who loves a good pop melody, “Barcelona Butterflies” doesn’t break the mold when it comes to aesthetics, but rather expands upon a theme that had been left mostly abandoned at the start of the 2010s by indie singer/songwriters a generation before Black.

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The arrangement used in this song puts what some might consider to be an unconscionable amount of pressure on the bassline, yielding a really tense environment behind the lead vocal that could be potentially overwhelming were it not met with such a pretty serenade. Suffice to say, Leni Black isn’t intimidated by the sonic wallop creeping up in her shadow — if anything, she faces it head-on and creates a harmony out of the discordance, which, for being something a little more common in hard rock music, actually works really well for this compositional scenario.

Try as you might this autumn, I don’t think you’re likely to find a tighter mix than the one Black has in “Barcelona Butterflies,” as it features a superb attention to detail mixed with an even flow for both percussive and melodic components the same — courtesy of the cool hands Mr. Marc Swersky brings to everything he produces. Anyone who keeps up with the industry knows to expect a lot out of the tracks this guy collaborates on, and with this temptress on the mic, they give us something really fascinating to talk about as 2020 nears the finish line.

“Barcelona Butterflies” presents us with an interesting cocktail of poetic multidimensionality amidst a straightforward instrumental concept piece, and while I will still need to hear a lot more from Leni Black before I anoint her with the title of breakout rookie of 2020, she has a charm in this debut that will have me coming back to her output once she’s ready to bring forth a studio album. I believe she’s onto something really special with the formula behind this song, and with the approval of indie fans, she’ll be off and running with a legit career.

Colin Jordan