Upon reflection, the past has an uncanny way of lingering around your senses. Sentimental scents and evocative visions transport you back to where you once were. It’s as if you never left, even though time has lapped those memories into the distance. Baltimore based singer-songwriter Nina Gala sparks a sensory experience with her latest single, “tangerine.” Delivered through the misty eyed, dreamy filter of yesterday, this song is vividly direct in description of a fond memory lost to time.
Since 2016, Gala has been renowned in the Baltimore area for her “emotionally charged solo shows.” With her debut album, “swan heart,” due out on October 14, she has offered up a bewitching sonic experience with this latest cut. “Tangerine” is unique for saying much more than its two minute lifespan would lead you to believe. It’s flash poetry set to a wavy guitar that emits a dream sequence centered around a snapshot of a formerly loving relationship. It’s minimalist in description, but it still speaks volumes about what remains from what was once held dear.
What starts off as “bittersweet” evolves into an increasingly tangible trip down memory lane. From the tactile comfort of being embraced, the citrus scent of perfume and a light blanketing all corners of the room, Gala doesn’t need grandiose verbiage for what was a simple, beloved place in time. These are the personal things that have no need for exposition. They are of immense value to the heart and are adequate enough to those that they matter: me, myself and I.
“Tangerine” is what the mind’s eye creates when turned backward. All of the triggered senses of the familiar come flooding back even without it being present before us. What Gala has created is that curious machination of our minds and put it into a song.
Written by Travis Boyer
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