Written by Marilù Ciabattoni
Discovered via Musosoup
Discovered via https://app.musosoup.com #sustainablecurator
If I had to describe ghostgirl’s latest EP I’m going out, and I may be some time with one word, that word would be: quiet.
Matching Kay Rowan’s stage name, the artist sings softly over an equally minimalistic string arrangement.
After warming up with a small intro, “metaphor” is the first track where we hear the artist’s voice as she promises an unknown entity, “I’m not leaving - yet.” Although subtle, Kay’s voice builds anticipation and momentum, as the listeners patiently wait to know what turn the story will take next.
This second track ends with a simple question: “Is that what love is for?” referring to the statement that she’s not leaving… yet, which sounds reassuring yet ambiguous, especially if sung so quietly. But then again, is she promising somebody or is she saying that to herself as she’s unable to get away from the toxic dynamics of a relationship that is not working?
This final question mark takes us to “yet, again,” which can be considered the outro of “metaphor.” Interestingly enough, the word that links these two tracks is the three-letter yet: “So don’t love me yet,” she sings now.
The lyrics here sound slightly more needy: “For you I’ll be / A featherless wing / For you I’ll be - anything.”
The teeny tiny prelude titled “little lost, featuring very simple vocals, gives us the chance to pause yet again before getting to the final track, the very ambiguous “wither and grow.”
The title of the song contradicts itself: after all, you cannot grow if you wither and vice versa. You wither wither or you grow. And that’s exactly what the artist is asking: “Will I wither, will I grow.”
I love how mysterious the song reads. In this final track, the artist’s voice sounds more confident as she sings louder than in the initial tracks, conveying more confidence than she did before.
Yet, the lyrics still pretty much tell a sad story: “I gave you all I had / Till the sun itself turned bad / And fell like fruit upon the vine / I’ll burn my days to make your time.” These lines will certainly resonate with a lot of people, as the instrumentals contribute to creating momentum.
“There’s a part I will not show,” Kay continues singing. “Battled blow by blow.” The AABB line makes the song feel like a nursery rhyme, adding to the innocence of it all.
Then she sings, more convincingly, “Yeah, my love, we’re scared to death / Not by all that we regret / But for every life we’ve not lived yet.”
I love how the final line is cut short: “Will it wither, will it…” It’s absolutely a great way to end the album,
I’m going out, and I may be some time is the perfect record to chill, daydream or get nostalgic to, and I hope Kay Rowan aka ghostgirl will be experimenting with new formulas in the future.