Popped out from nowhere yesterday on Bandcamp, “Valentine” is the debut 4-track EP from Live For You, the solo moniker of Los Angeles-based singer/songwriter Caitlin Rae.
Though at first glance with few Infos and without any social media exposure, it appears, on closer inspection, the production in most of the tracks by Vancouver‘s Kuba Rygal, a.k.a. Mary, an artist who knows how to write damn addictive and compelling once post-punk, recently mainly dream pop little gems (we talk about him here).
An impressive debut that ranges from pure jangly dream pop, the beautiful “Poison-Darling” produced and co-written by Micheal J. Peterson, the guitar-driven “Temper Temper”, maybe the slightly weak moment, to the classic Mary-like intriguing blend of synth-laden post-punk, new wave and dream-pop with dark undertones of “Still Love You” and “Bright As Blood”.
It’s “Still Love You”, entirely written by Caitlin and produced by Kuba, that struck the right chord of mine, driving dense pulsing bass and hypnotic beats, the evocative mournful synths and guitar chords all fit perfectly together in a heartbreaking and immersive darkly atmosphere, enhanced by the persuasive emotionally seductive Caitlin‘s voice that leads us into the deepness of her inconsolable yearning and infinite sadness.
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