This is a story of how I started off my weekend right. With this new single, FADED, from Phantom Sugar, and a weekend of chilling ahead of me, I knew I had to curate an atmosphere that was worthy of this upcoming listening experience.
I went into my safe space, my studio, and turned every light off except for the deep purple and blue LEDs that border the ceiling. Not a sliver of outside light was able to break through the integrity of my blackout curtains, and that is probably the perfect way to listen to this track.
A playful and glistening guitar springboards this song into your brain and I felt an immediate mood boost, though this song isn’t meant to be joyful, per se. The more down-spirited, edgy vocals tell a story of heartbreak all on their own. The lyrics “When you left / In the coldest of Decembers / It felt like death” create an image of an early morning in the dark and snowy midwest, ice creeping through the window panes as you dread the day that awaits.
Don’t be fooled though…this isn’t your average heartbreak track. Phantom Sugar expertly paints the picture of multiple people being left behind by the same, as the band puts it, “charismatic beauty”. The sadness that the singer feels is amplified by the many that have come before him, and it’s as if they are all expressing those feelings THROUGH him during this song.
FADED ends with the lyrics “You played us all / Without a reason / Just holding on / And it all begins to fade to black”, further driving this narrative of him mourning the loss for ANYONE who has been the victim of this, dare I say, a succubus in disguise.
Overall, I’m really digging Phantom Sugar’s sound and can’t wait to hear more from them very soon. Wait until sundown, draw your curtains, and let this song whisk you away into the comforting darkness.
Written by Newt Fangs
