Saint Clair puts a spin on a ‘Human Touch’ in her new video

Every weekday, DIY’s new music know-it-all Neu brings you one essential new release to get obsessed with. Today’s Neu Pick comes from Saint Clair.

North Londoner Emma Topolski – better known as Saint Clair – emerged with single ‘Train’ earlier in the year, releasing her debut EP ‘D1’ back in May. Now she’s back with plans to release a ‘D2’ EP early in 2018 on her own Dearly Beloved imprint and is continuing to preview the collection with her latest, more slow-burning single ‘Human Touch’.

The simmering number sees her reuniting with producer Ben Jones, who co-produced ‘D1’, and it sees her bringing her slightly jazz-inflected, powerful vocals combined with pulsating percussion and arpeggiated synths that ramp up the intensity. Speaking of the track, Emma said: “‘Human Touch’ is a straight-up break-up anthem. I was in emotional limbo when an ex suddenly appeared at the back of a venue I was playing at, and it completely caught me off guard. The song is an exploration of that push and pull between revisiting the past and moving on for good”.

The single now has a new video, directed by Lucie Beecham. It’s a quietly intense clip that shows both Saint Clair and Gilly Daniels playing a young and old version of Dot Parker, who are slowly and methodically given a makeover. By a mortician. Speaking of the clip, Emma said: “We wanted to put a spin on what is commonly understood when we say human touch. The video delves into the isolated underworld of a vulnerable, sensitive mortician who also happens to be a makeup genius. Like an old master, he restores the bodies that come through his mortuary back to their former glory”.

Watch the video for ‘Human Touch’ below.