sit stay is the Los Angeles-based indie-electronic project of songwriter Em Pacini and Bedbug’s Dylan Citron. Bedbug brings their DIY background and production approach, expanding the sound into full, synth-driven arrangements with drum machines and melodic hooks. The project pulls from electronic touchstones like Imogen Heap’s Speak for Yourself, Everything But the Girl’s Walking Wounded, and Dido’s No Angel, blended with the indie rock writing sensibilities both Pacini and Citron share – influences like Built to Spill, Sebadoh, and Grandaddy; but also early Modest Mouse and The Radio Dept. What began as a songwriting exercise between the two eventually became a set of personal stories: adopting dogs (Otis), moving through heartbreak, thinking through small memories, and taking road trips along the California coast. After a few small EPs and holiday releases in 2024, Is There a Way to Set You Free arrives after more than a year of work.
Across eleven tracks, the album moves through a consistent mix of soft vocals, steady drum patterns, minimal guitars, and synth textures that shift between open, dreamy, and full. The writing holds onto small details – backyards, cars, neighbours, lights changing, silhouettes, conversations – while the production keeps everything in motion.
The opener, rave (2:46), sets the framework: drums that feel like The Postal Service, layered and always grooving, with sparse vocal chops and reversed audio. Panned drum hits keep the ear moving, while the ethereal pad and minimal guitar hold everything together. The vocals, delicate in delivery and reminiscent of Built to Spill, Frankie Cosmos, and early Youth Lagoon, open the album with the line “I dance until the earth grows old and freezes,” introducing the “raw wall of sound” that recurs throughout the record.
maggie (2:04) continues the flow, balancing optimism with a sense of being stuck. Lines like “I know I can’t go back there, never moving forward somehow – what Maggie doesn’t know won’t hurt her” and “You’re always keeping secrets, you’re punishing yourself” capture uncertainty about speaking up, while the reversed guitar and soft, grounded vocals carry it forward.
footprints (2:44) builds immediate imagery: “Green water in the bird bath… my footprints in the concrete out back.” Drawing from quiet corners of Californian suburbia, the 4-on-the-floor kick and simple melodic gestures give the lyrics room to breathe. “If I knew I was waiting for you, I would have just waited” anchors the track emotionally, while lines like “Rotten fruit perfumes the driveway” highlight small, evocative details; my favourite line from the album!
otis (3:42), presumably named after their dog, captures everyday snapshots – balloons, orchids, foggy windows, long red lights – and continues the 4-on-the-floor pattern. The “oohs” melody feels immediate, and the Rhodes piano on one side of the mix, paired with synth pads across the stereo field, stands out as one of the album’s strongest production choices.
rollercoaster (2:52) opens with a playful spoken voice: “a little horse, a little horse, a pony.” Grounding the synth and panned hi-hats keep the rhythm moving, while the vocal dipping into the leading tone adds a darker shade. “Taken by surprise again, making light of my fear of heights again. Isn’t it nice to spend the day with a friend.” The pads clearing at the end reveal the fragility of the vocals.
moon (1:02) is a short meditation on things being “okay just as they were.” A theremin-like sine instrument complements the line “it would be worse than to get back down to earth,” while vocal manipulation recalls Imogen Heap, creating a floating cosmic feeling.
county fair (2:20) reflects on “freezing time,” looking at moments that stretch and feel longer than they are. Overlapping lyrics that meet at the end give the track a purposeful structure.
fishtank (2:55) explores passing moments and the courage to act. Lines like “Windows blurred with dreamy silhouette reflections” and “I see you across the room” sit at the centre, conveying the feeling of retaining what I see as the flames of eternal youth. Warm, open vocals carry the sentiment.
silly string (2:36) opens with a nod to Rusted Root’s “Send Me On My Way.” The lyrics mix playful and serious lines: “keep talking please, quit talking please,” exploring the concept of splitting oneself apart and piecing it back together with super glue. The track sits inside a big wall of sound.
snails pace (3:04) portrays being worn down. “Slow and steady thrown back in your face” and “I will make you proud, measuring my doubts” describe someone trying but uncertain if it matters. A reflective synth solo matches the song’s contemplative tone.
The closer, breathe (3:07), contrasts acoustic guitar with manipulated Rhodes piano that ties back to the electronic foundation of the album. The intentional inclusion of the recording stopping at the end, along with lyrics like “I know I don’t like this no more,” leaves the listener with a direct, unfiltered close.
Overall, Is There a Way to Set You Free balances personal storytelling with a cohesive, electronic-indie sonic palette, maintaining intimacy and motion across its eleven tracks while holding attention to small, human details throughout. I think this is complemented by the lo-fi nature of the project, but where the magic lies is the delicate combination of Em & Dylan’s Vocals.
Written by John Drifter (drifting.)
