Since Nick Samson began performing as La Poré in 2017, his wife Dani Michaux Samson has created most of the cover artwork for his singles. The duo’s newest collaboration, “Love Song,” is an in-depth reflection on life, love and partnership. It also may be each artist’s crowning achievement to date.
Dani, who owns and operates Calico Flower Studio, creates mixed media paintings and collages. With “Love Song,” she adds a new element to her art — stop-motion animation. Meanwhile, Nick, whose bright, danceable synth-pop is usually driven by heavy drums and syncopated guitar rhythms, instead opts for a spacey, softhearted ballad, devoid of the rhythmic bombast that often characterizes his music. But even though both artists are taking a step away from their respective comfort zones, the final products remain unmistakably their own. And together, they form something greater than the sum of its parts.
A homey scene is established immediately as a living room is drawn into view. Splashes of color are gradually thrown into the picture while two cats scamper across the room. Nick sings the opening lines “In the morning I wake with you/Close our eyes, rest our minds and search for truth.” The theme of Nick’s songs has always been relationships, particularly his relationship with Dani. The focus of Dani’s work for the past several years has been home life and domesticity. These two concepts are perfectly merged in the line “When we’re together, you’ll always be home.”
The music is soft and ambient, with tender synth chords and sparse percussion. There are no heavy drum beats or explosive musical flourishes — that’s not what this song is about. It isn’t meant to be danced to. It’s meant to be heard and reflected upon as you sit with someone you love and let the time pass by.
As time passes in the video, more colors enter the frame, filling the floor, the walls, the sky. By the end, the scene is fully realized. A vibrant, spectacular image of a living room with two figures (and their cats) sitting on the couch watching the sun set. It’s an image that took time to build, but it feels as though it will last forever. The song exits on an unresolved chord change, echoing into eternity and leaving us looking forward to whatever the pair will create next.
