Alas de Liona starts off her highly praised first album, “Gravity of Gold,” with a track as raw and emotional-laden as the metal it’s dedicated to. “19.3,” a reference to gold’s specific gravity, is a poetic plan of attack for the song’s emotional heft and glittering sheen, as its opening track, “19.3,” vibes out what to expect from a project that’s introspective, soul-stirring and unafraid to probe the messy details of love.

Riding on glittering indie-pop sounds and de Liona’s trademark breathy vocals, “19.3” is like a slow emotional purge. It’s a love song, but not of the rose-tinted variety. This is love bared to the bite, complicated, eternal, and quietly challenging. It’s about not letting go of somebody, even as the reasons to do so begin to pile up. There’s a hurt in the melody, but it’s lovely in the way that only authentic music ever can be.

The production, by Rod Jones at Post Electric Studios in Leith, is unassuming but widescreen. Every piece, from the ethereal keys to the spectral light reverb, feels purposeful and featherlight, creating the cushion that lets de Liona’s voice drift like desert dust on a twilight breeze. You can almost sense her Mojave roots resonating through the track, even as Owens’ creative foundation was reinvented in the ancient streets of Edinburgh, where her inner spirit began to take flight.

Like the gold “19.3” alludes to, it has weight but not flash, substance but not pretense. Unsurprisingly, while the album falls into the hands of an offbeat selection of tastemakers ranging from The Line Of Best Fit to BBC Scotland Radio, its success has been inevitable. With this track, Alas de Liona sets aside a place within indie-pop as she decorates it with emotional honesty and poetic precision.