“Windbreaker” by Symbol Soup is a tender reflection on the quiet strength of long-term love, wrapped in a sound that feels both warm and alive. Quite frankly, it is a folk-y love letter to the person you fell in love with when you were 17. While described as having a lo-fi palette, the track comes across more lively than muted—never thunderous, but with enough brightness to carry its message forward. I also think it’s worth noting that I perhaps need to expand what lo-fi sounds like. I appreciate the effort of the artist to push the envelope on what lo-fi elements sound like incorporated into a song. The folk elements in the guitar work give it an earthy intimacy, grounding Symbol Soup AKA Michael Rea’s poetic lyricism in something tactile and very human. It’s a song that radiates affection, not just in its words but in the way the music itself feels like an embrace. Love is lovely to see and listen to, truly.
What makes “Windbreaker” so resonant is how it captures love not as a high and something like a sugar rush, but as a lived-in space of safety and shared history. Knowing someone is of your own heart. Also, I am not quite sure if the song title is on the nose with it being called a “windbreaker” – a garment suited for rain and heavy winds, and whether that symbolises how Rea would be willing to endure anything with their partner throughout harsh weather. If that is the case, I love it! There’s warmth in the sound, yes, but also movement. Rea’s delivery balances intimacy with a sense of openness, making the personal feel universal. Or at least, something to hope to have one day.
Written by Nthatile Mavuso
