London-based rising star Rue Delaney announces new EP titled ‘Hello Dark World’, set for release 9th September. The announcement is paired with the first single from the project ‘Butterfly’, out now on all streaming platforms.

‘Hello Dark World’ was written and produced in London’s Peckham and Finsbury Park, following the themes of violence towards women, mental health, and LGBTQ+ rights. Written and co-produced by Josef Page, who has previously worked with the likes of Saint Raymond and Laura Welsh, Rue Delaney explains: “I felt like Joey created an environment for me to express what was really going on behind the scenes. The world we made in the studio helped me remove myself from the immediacy of the pain and focus on a body of work that moved me forwards.” Throughout the EP, Rue Delaney showcases a good example of how less is more when it comes to creating a backdrop for complex emotion to express itself, as ‘Hello Dark World’ features strong guitar tones as one of the overriding sounds, compacting the EP with extravagant sonics and textures. Talking on the EP, Rue explains: “The music came directly from how I was processing an extremely rough patch. It’s easy to be swallowed by those moments. To alchemise them into art and music was a saviour for me, though I recognise not everybody has that ability. It’s why I always try to spread awareness of mental health wherever I can and make sure the people in my life know they can always turn to me.”

Meanwhile, lead single ‘Butterfly’ tackles personal complications of violence, sex and sadness, but also nostalgia, love and growth, with a clear sense of catharsis. ‘Butterfly’ is compact with powerful guitar notes, a heavy-growing bass line, and subtle drum sections. Rue explains: “Butterfly is the realisation that you’ve lost all sense of who you are, That Girl is a promise to never blame yourself to numb someone else’s pain, In Your Eyes I Die is the immediate pain, and Rains All Day is a depression party.” In ‘Butterfly’ and throughout the EP, Rue began to address how she was feeling openly and honestly, with it finally feeling like the beginning of the end in terms of how she was feeling. Rue further explains: “Almost like therapy, it gave me a way to remove myself from the pain and focus on a piece of work that moved me forwards.”