With a distinct Villagers meets Low vibe as the song begins – the vocal delivery sounds like a cross between the tenderness of Conor J O’Brien and the distinct tone of Alan Sparhawk – Fishes – the new tune from Brighton And Hove duo Sock Drawer – gets off to a disarming start.
As the song progresses, it quietly pulsates, getting more and more self-assured with each passing second but almost imperceptibly so. The music feels like it has more in common with acts like Sylvan Esso or Sorry – although more subdued – the electronic undertone/backbone is ever present, from start to finish. The musical puzzle is completed with an assortment of almost incidental atmospheric or ambient sounds – audible adornments that glimmer and glisten quietly in the background. The sound is like what it feels like when light hits a mirrorball just right, but it’s in the next room, visible only through a dirty pane of glass.
Lyrically, the band explains that Fishes explores “mortality, memory, and the fleeting beauty of everyday life — death, love, and washing the dishes”. We’re informed that the song has become their set closer, often performed unplugged, which often elicits a powerful response from audiences. It’s not hard to imagine why.
Written by Kinda Grizzly
