Award-winning Skye duo Valtos are set to release their new single Lost in Translation, featuring Lana Pheutan and Man of the Minch, on Friday 2nd June 2023.The single is the fourth release of the pair’s Valtos and Friends project.
Lost in Translation is a half-English, half-Gaelic pop-inspired track, with duelling vocals from Lana and Man of the Minch complemented by the soaring fiddle playing of Euan McLaughlin. The result is a compelling and uplifting sound with a catchy hook, the perfect soundtrack for Scottish summer days.
Following the popularity of the song Charlie’s on the Run from Valtos’ self-titled debut album, which also featured Man of the Minch on the vocal version, the pair were inspired to create another track with a similar basis of disco-style drums and a strong fiddle line, developing the sound further on Lost in Translation.
The song’s lyrics explore the complicated feelings that come with falling in love, with the vocalists not only singing in two different languages, but from opposing perspectives. The English lyrics only provide one side of the story, with the Gaelic revealing a story between two people who can’t communicate and want different things.
Scottish electro duo Valtos is comprised of Isle of Skye natives Martyn MacDonald and Daniel Docherty.The pair, who were named Up and Coming Artist of the Year at The Scots Trad Awards 2022 and make music described by Folk Radio UK as “like nothing you have ever heard before”, started with a string of remixes aiming to showcase both adaptability and variety in their sound, which ultimately culminated in their debut album Valtos, released in June 2022.
Man Of The Minch is the musical alias of Glasgow based singer-songwriter and instrumentalist Pedro Cameron, who has become one of the most exciting names at the forefront of Scottish folk music. Blending traditional Celtic sounds with personal, profound storytelling, Man of the Minch has already picked up his fair share of fans and followers. Winner of Up and Coming Artist of the Year at the 2019 Scots Trad Awards, he breathes new life into traditional music whilst staying true to what makes it so timeless.
Lana Pheutan, an esteemed actor, writer and director in both English and Gaelic, and an old school friend of Martyn and Daniel, regularly provides vocals for Valtos and tours with the duo, along with fellow singer Eilidh Cormack and fiddle player Euan McLaughlin.
Martyn MacDonald said: “We’ve had the idea to write a song like this in both languages for a while now, and we knew if we put Lana and Man of the Minch in the same room they would produce something magical. Thankfully this was absolutely the case – topped with the incomparable sound of Euan McLaughlin’s fiddle, this is one of our favourite tracks we’ve made this year.”
Daniel Docherty added: “We don’t think there’s been a pop song like this produced within the scene before and we really wanted to try and push the boundaries slightly, ideally making Gaelic that little bit more accessible.”
Lost in Translation will be available to stream and download on all major digital platforms on Friday 2nd June. For more information, visit www.valtosband.co.uk.
