Paco Versailles Unveil New Single ‘Shangri La’
Time to dance! Following the release of heir gorgeous single Unwind, indie-electro duo Paco Versailles, created by guitarist/composer Vahagni and songwriter/producer Ryan Merchant, are back with their brand new single Shangri La.
I instantly fell in love with Unwind and its summery atmosphere and it seems that Paco Versailles are back at it with yet another summer anthem that instantly got me dancing. Shangri La follows the same funky atmosphere of its predecessor thanks to its infectious melodies that include lush flamenco guitar strums and disco-infused electronic production. These guys are masters at creating a feel-good atmosphere with lush harmonies that really transport the listener to a beach in paradise. Shangri La is one of those songs that will put a smile on your face and get you dancing in no time. This will be my anthem for the coming weeks for sure! Check it out below!
On the song, singer Ryan Merchant (Capital Cities) says,
The end of the song in which I sing 'I'm looking for my Shangri La' is ultimately a celebration, both lyrically and musically. The words are delivered through a 5-part harmony and surrounded by maximum funkiness and an uplifting string arpeggio that leads us to a final release. The closest I'll ever get to a real Shangri La is in creating these musical moments.
Guitarist Vahagni's Spanish influences are woven throughout the song. He muses on his long history with flamenco music and explains,
During the eighties when things were a little more 'free' [my father] saw a performance of Paco de Lucia on TV playing flamenco guitar. It blew his mind and he devoted himself to learning as much as he can about flamenco guitar and the culture of flamenco. I grew up with Paco's music and flamenco in the house at all times. I cant remember a time when his picture was not on one of the walls in our house. I naturally became just as obsessed and Paco was now my god of guitar and flamenco was the direction.