.jpg "Ville Valo - Neon Noir (2023) album front cover")
.jpg "Ville Valo - Neon Noir (2023) album back cover")
Ville Valo - Neon Noir (2023)
Tracklist front / back album covers
Ville Valo — Neon Noir (2023)
Neon Noir is the debut full-length solo album by Finnish singer-songwriter Ville Valo, released on January 13, 2023 under the moniker VV through Heartagram Records in partnership with Spinefarm Records.
The album represents Valo’s first complete studio work following the disbandment of HIM in 2017. Written and recorded largely by Valo alone, Neon Noir continues the melodic gothic rock style associated with HIM’s “love metal,” blending melancholic melodies, synth textures, and romantic lyrical themes with modern production.
Valo described the album as a natural continuation of the musical identity he developed with HIM, while also allowing him full creative control as a solo artist.
Tracklist
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Echolocate Your Love – 3:49
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Run Away from the Sun – 3:33
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Neon Noir – 4:22
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Loveletting – 4:04
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The Foreverlost – 3:49
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Baby Lacrimarium – 4:14
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Salute the Sanguine – 3:36
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In Trenodia – 3:56
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Heartful of Ghosts – 3:54
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Saturnine Saturnalia – 3:45
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Zener Solitaire – 4:09
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Vertigo Eyes – 3:35
Total length: approximately 47 minutes
Album Credits
Musicians
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Ville Valo — vocals, guitars, bass, keyboards, programming, production
Production
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Produced by Ville Valo
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Recorded primarily in Helsinki, Finland
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Mixed by Tim Palmer
Cover Art Design
The album cover features the VV monogram logo, a symmetrical symbol formed by two mirrored V letters. The logo acts as a spiritual successor to the famous Heartagram, visually representing Valo’s transition from HIM’s era into his solo career.
The artwork uses a minimalistic black-and-neon aesthetic, reinforcing the album’s title and its mixture of gothic darkness and modern synth-driven sound.
Fun Facts
🔥 One-man album
Valo recorded almost every instrument on the album himself, making it essentially a solo studio project.
🔥 Songs from the 2020 EP included
Several tracks originally appeared on the EP Gothica Fennica Vol. 1 and were later included on the album.
🔥 Return to touring
The album’s release marked Valo’s first major world tour as a solo artist.
🔥 Classic HIM-style songwriting
Fans and critics noted that the album strongly retains the romantic gothic sound associated with HIM.
Trivia
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The single “Loveletting” was the first track released from the album.
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The album title “Neon Noir” reflects the contrast between dark gothic themes and bright synth-driven melodies.
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The track “Run Away from the Sun” first appeared on the 2020 EP Gothica Fennica Vol. 1.
Did You Know?
💡 Neon Noir was created almost entirely by Ville Valo alone, from songwriting to instrumentation.
💡 The album title references the contrast between dark romantic themes (“noir”) and modern neon-lit atmosphere.
💡 The VV logo used during this era was designed as a symbolic successor to the Heartagram, representing.
