Following a wave of critical acclaim and their debut TV appearance, Dublin indie risers Still Blue continue their ascent with the release of their new single, ‘Brushstrokes’.
‘Brushstrokes’ marks the bands first release of the year, showcasing a more delicate, Americana and Folk tinted side to their sound to the vibrant indie-pop of previous releases. An organic soundscape anchored by warm, muted acoustic guitar the track captures a melancholic serenity, led by the delicate smooth and elegantly sweet lead vocals. Gradually adding layers of atmospheric, beautifully placed strings, electric guitar and delicate piano soaked in reverb, the band showcase an understanding emotive songwriting writing and building rich a intricate, subtle sound-pallet comparable to Phoebe Bridgers, Sufjan Stevens or Bon Iver.
Gradually growing, subtle drums and bass enter, the vocals soar and the track reaches a spine-tingle inducing, euphoric crescendo before dipping down to a tender close. Intimate and beautiful, the track is a spellbinding example of what the quartet are capable of.
Speaking about the track, vocalist Nicole Lyons explains: “It was one of those songs that just flowed. I wasn’t really sure what I was writing about until I let the song rest and came back to it a few months later. I wasn’t ready to accept what I was writing. I think a lot of times in relationships we want to ignore that ugly side and only choose to see the good. But that’s not love. ‘Brushstrokes’ is a track about seeing a relationship for what it is and not what you want it to be.
We were lucky to record the track in Black Mountain Studios with Alex Borwick. It felt fitting to record ‘Brushstrokes’ there in the peace and quiet. Alex really helped bring the song to life in the studio. We were also buzzing to have Kait Cullen-Verhauz back playing cello on one of our songs too. It always feels special working with such talented musicians and having the space to try out random ideas. In the end, most of those silly ‘what if we did this?’ moments end up in the track anyway and they’re what makes this song feel as close and warm as it does.”
Recorded at Black Mountain Studios with producer Alex Borwick, the track’s creation was a collaborative and exploratory process. Lyons notes how the peaceful environment of the studio contributed to the track’s warm and intimate feel. The band also had the pleasure of working again with Kait Cullen-Verhauz, whose cello playing adds another layer of depth to the song.
With critical acclaim and a growing hype surrounding the band, Still Blue are already established as one to watch as they continue to grow and release new music.
Listen to ‘the new single ‘Brushstrokes’ below:
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