“ORPHAN’S LAMENT” by Steel & Velvet

Orphan’s Lament opens Steel & Velvet’s new EP People Just Float and immediately establishes the project’s reflective direction. Rather than using large arrangements or dramatic shifts, the track relies on measured performance, controlled pacing, and a focus on mood. The result is a song that introduces the EP with directness and emotional clarity, setting a grounded tone for what follows. Steel & Velvet is a trio from Brittany featuring Johann Le Roux on vocals, Romuald Ballet-Baz on guitar, and Jean-Alain Larreur on guitar. Their roles are clearly defined yet closely connected. Johann’s vocal delivery leads the track with a steady and sincere presence. Romuald provides a fingerpicking style shaped by classical technique, giving the composition its framework. Jean-Alain adds subtle blues-rock elements, contributing tone and texture without shifting the track away from its calm center. Together, the group presents a cohesive sound built on balance and mutual restraint.

The song is structured around simplicity. The guitar arrangement forms a stable harmonic foundation, relying on clean lines and repeating patterns rather than ornamentation. Johann’s voice carries the main emotional weight, supported rather than overshadowed by the guitars. The melodic design draws from pentatonic movement, giving the track a sense of familiarity and accessibility. Its lower register adds a steady grounding, while small variations in dynamics prevent the piece from feeling static. Within the EP’s broader narrative, Orphan’s Lament introduces themes of searching, displacement, and emotional distance. The trio approaches these themes with consistency rather than dramatic interpretation. Small shifts — a slight rise in intensity, a change in voicing, a brief harmonic swell — provide motion. These moments are understated but effective, showing the group’s preference for subtle development instead of sudden peaks.

One of the strengths of the track is its sense of control. Steel & Velvet avoid unnecessary layers, choosing instead to maintain clarity in every section. This approach reflects a pattern already present in their earlier work, especially their 2023 EP Waiting for Some Warmth, where similar minimalist tendencies shaped their sound. In Orphan’s Lament, this restraint is more refined and deliberate, pointing to a band that understands its identity and intends to build on it. As the opening track of People Just Float, Orphan’s Lament introduces the trio’s direction with confidence. It shows their ability to create emotional impact through measured choices rather than large gestures. The song positions Steel & Velvet as a group committed to thoughtful arrangements, focused storytelling, and a clear musical identity.