Back in June, we had Aymen Saleh—the Milwaukee (by way of England) singer-songwriter who releases music under the Holy Pinto moniker—on our My First Band podcast to talk about his musical origin, what brought him to Wisconsin of all places, and what he was working on in the present day. While focusing on modern musical happenings, Saleh hinted at a future collaboration with up-and-coming indie rock sensation and budding producer Bartees Strange.
Today, that anticipated pairing is finally seeing the light of day, as Holy Pinto just released a new single along with an accompanying music video. Strange’s influence can be heard on the driving, synth-backed sound that kicks “us, married” into motion. The top-notch production is further elevated by Saleh’s vocals that lend warmth and softness to the otherwise gloomy song about feeling trapped in a relationship.
The themes of “us, married” are expanded upon visually in the song’s just-released music video. Written, directed, and filmed by Moriah Bame and Sean McDowell, the video—which Saleh says was shot in the Story Hill neighborhood this past spring—shows a longtime couple at an unexpected point in their relationship. We don’t want to spoil it, so we won’t say anything else about it here.
The song will be included on an upcoming Holy Pinto album, due out sometime in 2023. Prior to the record’s release, Saleh and company will spend much of October on tour. The autumn run around the Midwest and East Coast kicks off with a hometown show at Anodyne’s Walker’s Point Roastery on October 4 and will wrap up in Lake Ridge, Virginia on October 15. As you await next month’s show and next year’s Holy Pinto album, you can watch the “us, married” video below.