Before the dawn of the new millennium, the 1990s embodied blissful ignorance. The dot com bubble had yet to burst, endless wars had yet to be waged and election cycles were every four years, not every four seconds. By comparison to our current, hyperspeed, broadband society, it was a leisurely, go with the flow world. Nashville-based singer-songwriter Ryan Yingst taps into that carefree, alternative rock mood of this bygone era, but with a restless undercurrent on his latest single, “Incessant.”
Keeping with the relaxed vibe, “Incessant” opens up with a sweet and cozy guitar intro that ends up leading into some fiery riffs. Later on, Yingst opens up his bag of tricks and lets loose with some exquisite, singing guitar licks. Instead of playing it safe with straight ahead rock, he lets his guitar do the talking in concert with a subtle, soothing electronic aura. Not to be outdone, a slowly elevating round of drums only help to heighten an already lofty, atmospheric melody.
The lyrics of this track are derived from a poem by Madison Adair. Capturing the majestic, natural beauty of a desert landscape in contrast to tapping out one’s emotional well, “Incessant” is the story of finding that extra reserve you did not know you had. “My courage is faint and borrowed, but, I’ve given you all I have” is the epitome of ringing out the last drop of inner strength to lay it all on the line.
Altogether, Yingst’s remarkable melodies and Adair’s striking lyrics transform “Incessant” into a mesmerizing experience. At first blush, it is a relaxing soundscape that, in turn, gives way to the ominous specter of a fleeting love. “Incessant” disarms you with its charming guitar, but engages you with poetic tumult.
Written by Travis Boyer
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