Bobby Rethwish - "MOONFACE" (self-released)
It's been a while since we've heard from Bobby Rethwish, but that doesn't mean he hasn't been busy. Following the release of his record "LIMBO" last fall, he has faded into the background and brought his singular producing vision to others, most notably on fantastic recent singles from McCall. "MOONFACE," Rethwish's new solo single, picks up exactly where he left off.
Glitchy, cordial beats pair elegantly with Rethwish's welcoming vocals. The Bon Iver influence is still very strong; the tune is wrapped in the slightly absurd tonalities found all over 22, A Million and i,i. Pulsing electronics, horns, and overjoyed melodies interlock like a future-pop networking grid. "MOONFACE" finds humor in the questions it asks. You never get any answers from the titular character, to whom the lyrics are directed. Rethwish's anxieties about his receding hairline show up right alongside the uncertainty of new life changes. Focus clicks in as soon as Rethwish starts to wail a question made famous by the Black Eyed Peas: "where's the love?" A twinkling ascension in the beat rises to match his passion, bringing "MOONFACE" to an ecstatic end.
Listen to and/or buy "MOONFACE" below.
a mess. - "You Don't Want Me" (self-released)
Minneapolis duo a mess. have only released two songs to date and they've already fully nailed a very specific aesthetic. Hannah Boundy and Sara Liebl craft dreamy, folk songs of love and emptiness; "You Don't Want Me" is the second of hopefully many.
More than anything, the song is a plea. Boundy and Liebl sing from a place of heartwrenching vulnerability - the aftermath of another attempt to find affection in a place that refuses to reciprocate. The driving force is primarily the pair's vocals. Dazzling harmonies and relentlessly beautiful interplay sails over minimal piano, ukulele, and electronic hums. This spare instrumentation is clearly by design; the lyrics and vocals are what make a mess. special. The instrumental fades away just before the final repetitions of the chorus and the result is astounding. There is a pained awareness that love will never be returned in each instance of the chorus.
Listen to and/or buy "You Don't Want Me" below.
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