Playing With The Orbits, the new offering by Velatine, is a reminder that some of the darkest stories are often delivered through the most accessible songs, allowing grief and reflection to expand in their own terms.
Opening with bright synthpop textures before drifting into darker goth and darkwave territory, the track moves between light and shadow with ease. Its shimmering melodies and graspable structure make it one of the band's most overtly pop-oriented offerings to date, largely stepping away from the heavier post punk, industrial, and metal influences that have surfaced throughout much of their recent work.
Beneath the song's melodic exterior lies a devastating narrative. Written in response to the murder of 17-year-old Bianca Devins in 2019, Playing With The Orbits serves as both memorial and warning. Deeply affected by her story, the band began composing the song roughly five years ago, using its framework to explore themes of obsession, online culture, exploitation, and the irreversible consequences of violence.
Velatine embraces the tradition of gothic music that finds beauty within tragedy. The song's pop sensibilities are not designed for easy consumption or a generally friendly appeal. Instead, they function as a deliberate vehicle for a story that demands to be heard. The contrast between the song's luminous surface and its harrowing subject matter only amplifies the whole emotional impact.
ZR