This week we've got a special one from Holy Pinto, the indie-pop project from British expat Aymen Saleh. Since landing in Milwaukee almost by chance, he's become one of the city's great cheerleaders, as evidenced by his upcoming concept EP “Milwaukee: a love story of truck stops, soccer bars, and a big blue van,” which is set for release on Feb. 28. He'll play a release show that night at High Dive in Milwaukee, which he'll follow with a four-week tour across the country.
Ahead of all that, you can stream and read about the EP's centerpiece "Milwaukee" below.
Artist's statement
Everything is perfect when you first meet someone or go visit somewhere -- the devil is in the detail that unravels with time. Once you see both the beauty and the ugliness -- you decide -- is it someone you want to be with or somewhere you want to be?
The song is about "the one night I stayed in." The night where I stepped back from the chaos of nightlife to contemplate and weigh up the feelings of where I am and what I'm doing. The one night in the early days of my time here that I finally didn't go out drinking -- the act which powerfully puts useful thought and self-reflection at bay.
The truth is that I could have gone back to London, or figure out somewhere else to live in the States. Life was flexible. Nothing or nowhere is perfect, and you have to reflect. It turns out that I actually do love this city and I'm really happy to be here. This song speaks to that night of reflection.
The song doesn't weigh as heavy as that, though. I'm singing about my friends, the bars I frequent, etc. I've felt so much joy and positivity from this particular song.
