North Queenslander Dan Baker‘s vocals in his new track ‘Freeze Dried Coffee’ are soaked in a luxurious late night excess – red light rich, velvet and full of the vicissitudes of life rolled into just over five minutes of pain and delight. The accompanying instrumentation reeks of bar rooms and regret: distant wailing strings, simply strummed guitars and an air of restraint built on remorse.
‘Freeze Dried Coffee’ is truly a magnificent and imposing track – think of the steady pace and intensity of Tom Waits or Tindersticks, the stark visuals of Nick Cave and the mutterings of an old drunk in the corner of the local pub. Baker says of the track:
Having never been capable of any notable amount of grace or acceptance in the face of loss, I’ve managed to refine a formidable pallet for bitterness and longing. Such experience though has recently allowed for a more jovial brand of reflection upon my failures to resolve difficult situations. ‘Freeze Dried Coffee’ considers these situations and challenges with attachment while confessing to my shortcomings through smiling, coffee-stained teeth.
It is beautiful and elegiac, cathartic and raw.
‘Freeze Dried Coffee’ is available to stream and download here and is off Baker’s EP ‘From Corners Quiet’, out on July 30.
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