The hustle and bustle of Christmas is behind us now, and with it the ending of an official calendar year. Holiday spirits have waned. Excitement and celebration give way to thoughts of the future, to how the next year might look. I need some new music to suit the post-Euphoric and more subdued leanings of life, as I move with slow steps, into this new year. Maybe you do, too.
May I offer a perfectly timed track–Looking Backward— from American artist Darksoft‘s newly released album Cryo (January 14, 2022). Nestled into a dreamy, alt-rock ambiance, the track feels somehow cathartic and almost soothing, in a dreamy garage rock sort of way. The tempo is relaxed; the mood is reflective. The song is arranged around a simple yet totally captivating lead electric guitar melody. It’s subdued and muted, like a distant dream, yet I might detect a hint of playfulness. The repetition and rhythm, the soft steady stability of the rock beat percussion, all create a weightless and effortless atmosphere that make it easy to drift away into thought.
The lyrics follow suit and name the invitation–to look both backward and forward. Darksoft has artfully created a space for introspection and reflection.
So much that I couldn’t see
Looking backward.
So much that I want to feel
Moving forward.
Combined with muted, washed out images of Darksoft on the shoreline at Old Orchard Beach (Maine) and the vintage motifs of Super8mm film, the overall effect is cathartic, soothing, and reflective. Just what I needed.
Darksoft has released three albums to date: Brain (2018), Meltdown (2020), and Cryo (2022).
