Singer-songwriter Paul Hashemi, the frontman of Faint Halos, has released the second single “Skyline Hill” from the much awaited album release I can see a million lights, out this summer.
Listen to “Skyline Hill” here:
“Skyline Hill” is one of the first songs written for the new album, and Paul Hashemi was intent on it being as simple as possible in its musical arrangement. With only acoustic guitar, bass, drums, a Rhodes, and electric guitar, along with the lead vocals:
“The lead guitar lines are played with an eBow, and it was fun to experiment until I nailed down a “fluttering” technique for the solo, playing a trill with the left hand and using the bow to swell the volume in and out. It took a lot of work (and many takes) to get it just right!
The bridge of the song has the line, “life is short but life is wide” … I got that quote in a letter from a friend about 30 years ago … And I’ve been trying to use it in a song ever since. It’s one of these quotes where it’s difficult to tell exactly where it came from – I think my friend’s original attribution was wrong.”
Reflecting on a serene summer evening at the Mann Center, gazing at the expansive Philadelphia skyline, Paul Hashemi shares the inspiration behind this single.
In his contemplation, he realizes the significance of gaining perspective from a distance – a sentiment he sought to encapsulate in the song. Supported by an airy, minimalist arrangement and adorned with haunting, distant guitar melodies, the track invites listeners on a journey of self-reflection and acceptance.
The album’s title I can see a million lights, is the first line in this song’s chorus so it does serve as the title track. This phrase was chosen because it aptly captures the overarching sense of vastness and serenity that defines the album’s theme.
“Skyline Hill” was written, produced and mixed by Paul Hashemi and recorded, produced and mastered in his home studio in Berwyn, with additional vocals recorded in North Carolina.