June Swoon is the distorted desert dream of Sacramento native Juli Lydell, a songwriter and multi-instrumentalist living in Los Angeles. Beautiful and strange, Lydell’s songwriting twists and turns through garage post-punk, experimental folk, and country-pop, rooted deeply in modern Americana and driven forward by nuanced storytelling and powerful vocals.

Today, June Swoon has dropped the video for the moody new single “Queen of Hearts,” which highlights Lydell writing, directing, and starring in the video. Alexandro Zamora served as the clip’s director of photography and Jessie Maranda handled special effects and makeup. The song itself traces the experiential lines of longing for someone while becoming increasingly mentally unmoored. The lyrics use metaphors of Dostoevsky’s infamous spiritual awakening in front of the firing squad mixed with Alice in Wonderland’s dance with The Red Queen.

Speaking on the narrative of the video, Lydell writes that it’s “…beautiful and grotesque, following a girl who goes to bed happy, but…wakes up as a monster. The video underscores the song’s themes, musing on dissociation, psychosis, love, and transformation.”

The drums and guitars of the song are atmospheric and evocative, while the vocal is achingly sweet and clear, reminiscent of Kate Bush or Lana Del Rey. “Queen of Hearts” is the first preview of June Swoon’s forthcoming sophomore LP. The band will be playing a video release party at The Love Song Bar in Los Angeles on Tuesday, November 9th, proof of vaccination or negative COVID test required for entry. Entitled A House With Windows Open, the album is expected sometime in 2022.

Photo Courtesy: Emmanuelle Yang