Brighton’s Larlin showcases their shoegaze roots in “Sondheim”, a track that draws from an ample catalogue of inspirations, yet floats a wonderful and honest reflection of self.
Soft-spoken, yet powerful and always rising, the track blends the best of the 2020’s intimate alt-rock wave, with nods to and inspirations from some of the best in the genre.
The song shines in its lyricism, posed in a disarming voice that feels very akin to a friend telling you a story that’s all too overwhelming. It’s earnest, it’s raw, and a genuine gem at balancing the intimate quiet and hazy intensity of belonging. The instrumentation follows suit, with sections that feel intentional and silences that drive the sordid feeling of realization home. The song demands attention in its most quiet moments, asking you to listen closer as words are crushed under feelings.
But what struck us most is the ability for the song to fully revel in the layered guitars of dreamier genres, while still maintaining the voice (its harmonies, its inflections, and its presence) as a centerpiece to the track. The band properly realizes that voices are also instruments, and not just vehicles for ideas, which results in propping a much more dimensional, almost tactile experience for the listener.
The track never fully loses itself to the waves and clashes, an approach that is quite reflective of the themes. As the band’s singer Maryann Hoar notes: “With Sondheim, I tried to encapsulate the complex feelings of not always feeling real. I wanted to express how easy it is to have your opinions swayed when caught up in this mindset, and let others views of you override your sense of self.”
The cover art quite literally makes the release flourish, drawing from textures and noise found in cyanotype and other traditional – if older – print methods, reinforcing the connection to something innate and personal. It’s refreshing to see artists craft again, not just as a DIY feeling, but as a carried set of values that inundates their entire ethos, ensuring an end result that is as contemporary as it is inspired. For fans of Boygenius and other songs that leave you reminiscing on the way home from work, Larlin has you covered.
Take a listen to “Sondheim” below.
Written by Charlotte Lacambra
