Roxanne de Bastion has released her new single, Simple Pleasures, marking the start of a new chapter following her acclaimed 2021 album You & Me, We Are The Same.
While her previous record drew heavily on personal experiences of grief and loss, Simple Pleasures shifts the focus outwards, exploring the pressures of modern life, consumer culture and the growing role of technology in our everyday lives.
Musically, the track also takes a fresh approach. Combining driving synths, angular guitars and an infectious chorus, it embraces a bigger, bolder sound while still holding onto the thoughtful songwriting that’s become synonymous with Roxanne’s music.
Speaking about the single, Roxanne says it was inspired by the way society is constantly encouraged to chase the next upgrade, questioning how often we stop to consider what we really need.
“How much do we question whether we really need that upgrade or the latest version of the latest thing?” Roxanne. “’Simple Pleasures is a musing on our direction of travel as a species, walking the path from a human to an AI society and how we never seem to pay attention to the ‘man behind the curtain’. The song might be inspired by the dystopia we’re creating, but it’s also set to driving synth and angular guitar riffs: If we’re going out, we’re going out with a loud synth bang!”
Produced by Steph Marziano, whose previous collaborators include Hayley Williams and Nell Mescal, Simple Pleasures offers the first glimpse of the artist’s next creative chapter.
To celebrate the release, Roxanne will return to the stage for a special headline show at London’s Sebright Arms on 15 September, where she’ll perform new material alongside songs from across her catalogue.
Alongside her music career, Roxanne has also earned praise for her book The Piano Player of Budapest, which explored her family’s history through the story of her late grandfather and the music he left behind.
After several years spent creating deeply personal work, Simple Pleasures feels like a natural turning point. It’s still thoughtful and reflective, but this time Roxanne delivers her observations against a soundtrack designed to get people moving as much as thinking.
You can get tickets to her upcoming live show here!
