Looking to explore romance and the range of feelings it holds, especially the harder ones? Want to get into your emotions this fall? Then these 8 singles are a perfect place to turn!
Alas de Liona – Vine Song
‘Vine Song’ captures the idea of being in love and yearning in a beautifully soft but emotionally charged way. It’s less of a track going through the happier feelings of being in love and more gets into the grit and damage that can come with it. On top of that, the soft guitar drone is a great basis for the instrumentation to build off of. The vocals are also beautiful and the notes are held out well, even with an overlying softness. This track holds a soft and slowness overall, but there’s a slow build in energy as different instrumental elements are introduced.
Peridot – Listen
‘Listen’ works with a laidback tempo but a full soundscape. The guitar is well-tempered and does a good job at flowing the tempo, the bass has a good buzz to it, and there are also some nice underlying nature sounds. This has the energy of folk music but works with a more electronic sound in the production. On top of that, the vocal duet harmonizes well and adds to the fullness of the music. The lyrics seem to handle the concept of being in a relationship where there aren’t expectations, and that there’s always an open ear but also an openness to quietness. There’s just such a sweetness to that.
Pip Marsh – Happy?
The way that ‘Happy?’ mixes elements of folk, country, and emo makes it fresh and new. The vocals have a punky twang to them, but the instrumentation has this more moderate country flow. On top of that, the electric guitar foreground plays well with the banjo background, and the raising of acoustic aspects in the end hits so well. This single seems to tell the story of a back-and-forth that explores the need to move forward due to mutual hurt but also the want to find happiness and repair in a relationship.
Olivia Wolf – High Life
‘High Life’ has such a nice feeling to it! It works well with tempo, as it gives a laid-back feeling but is also exciting and dynamic. The banjo and acoustic guitar fit nicely into the mix so that they both stand out, and the percussion is paced nicely. Additionally, both vocalists have their own unique sounds as Olivia Wolf works in a higher range and smoothness, and Taylor McCall delivers a more mid-ranged raspy vocal. When they harmonize, the different sounds work well together. Lyrically, ‘High Life’ uses references to nature to express the importance of spending time in the moment to find peace.
Dustin Bermuda – Revolver
‘Revolver’ is interestingly produced with its strings, dark bass growl, beautiful harmonies, laid-back drums that have a bit of a trap sound, and some bendy brighter synths introduced later on. When put together, they’re perfect for the smooth vocal riffs and dynamics in the vocals. Lyrically, this single explores the concept of a yearning in which everything “revolves” around a person but it’s unrequited and empty, leading to hurt. It puts together a very emotional experience full of feelings of need but an underlying loneliness.
VV4NDR – Betrayal Anthem
‘Betrayal Anthem’ is here to keep the emotional energy of the rest of this list, but then makes it dancey. This is a rush of EDM-influenced bass-driven hip-hop beat with a bump in its synths. The chorus is amazingly catchy, and the vocals cut in with punky undertones. And, its lyrics are to-the-point in the right ways. It punches back at an ex who lied and betrayed by taking power and has a lot of kick in the way it handles things.
Melancholy Memory – flawed
Now, ‘flawed’ is here to cut in with its melancholic vibe. The main guitar riff provides a great basis for the other guitars, synths, and percussion. There’s a slow pace to the instrumentation, but in a way that doesn’t feel held back. This pacing extends into the vocals, which have a soft anthemic nature to them. Then, the lyrics go over feelings of loneliness, longing, understanding one’s own flaws, and a push to learn and grow from said flaws. “I wish you could see / that this is killing me,” the chorus intros in a catchy but emotional way.
lonelysummit – slow
‘Slow’ is here to turn up the vibe with its exciting rush of EDM influences. The bass and synths dynamically flow and bounce excitingly, and the percussion also evolves as it moves on. There’s a resonance behind everything in the way it’s produced, and the mix gives space for the instrumentation and vocals to fade and grow. On top of that, the vocals work with these quick riffs and are produced to fit with the beat well. This track is exciting and full of life when everything is put together. The lyrics explore feelings of love that feel like a rush in a relationship being taken slowly.
Written by Sage Plapp
