Paris-based producer and rapper Maeldan Wilmet, better known as Downfvll, isn’t afraid to get heavy – emotionally and sonically. His new single, “Hellos and Goodbyes,” is a raw, atmospheric dive into the chaos of grief, loneliness, and survival. Merging dark pop, phonk, rap, and orchestral layers, the track feels like it was ripped straight from the soundtrack of a dystopian epic. Think Blade Runner if it traded neon-lit car chases for rooftop reflections on loss and mortality.
From the very first note, there’s a weight to “Hellos and Goodbyes” that’s impossible to shake. The beat is cold, metallic, and deliberate, giving space for Downfvll’s emotive storytelling to unfold. The opening verse is gut-wrenching in its simplicity – “woke up, to the sound of the phone / it’s late at night, like a quarter to four” – placing us right in that still, disorienting moment of receiving devastating news. But Downfvll doesn’t linger in quiet sadness. Instead, he builds tension with swirling orchestral strings and gritty phonk undertones, pulling listeners into the storm of grief, regret, and existential questioning that follows.
The chorus hits hard, both lyrically and sonically: “The hellos aren’t worth the goodbyes, it looks as though we’re all made to bleed.” It’s nihilistic but honest, the kind of thought that creeps in when life feels hollowed out by loss. Yet, it’s not all despair. There’s an undercurrent of resilience – of wanting to leave a mark before fading away – that threads through the entire track. Downfvll’s delivery is both intimate and cinematic, making the personal feel universal.
Production-wise, “Hellos and Goodbyes” is a masterclass in atmosphere. The orchestral flourishes give it a sweeping, almost gothic quality, while the phonk-inspired beats ground it in modernity. Downfvll cites influences like Woodkid and Sevdaliza, and you can hear that DNA here, but there’s something uniquely his in the way he fuses the classical with the futuristic. It’s dark, yes, but there’s beauty in the darkness.
What makes this track hit so hard is its refusal to sugarcoat the messiness of grief. It’s not about closure or finding silver linings – it’s about sitting in the discomfort and making something hauntingly beautiful out of it. In a world oversaturated with surface-level emotion, Downfvll offers something deeper, something that lingers.
“Hellos and Goodbyes” isn’t just a song; it’s a space to feel, reflect, and maybe even heal a little. Whether you’re drawn in by the heavy beats or the heavy emotions, Downfvll makes sure you won’t leave unaffected.
Comments