mp3 premiere: "LIN" - Strange Relations

photo: Tamara Alswager

It's no secret that we here at The Grey Estates think Strange Relations are among the most creative and brilliant musicians we've come across in recent memory. On September 8, they're following up the lovely Weeknites EP with a full length on Tiny Engines called Editorial You and we're excited to bring you the premiere of the album's newest single "LIN". Slinking instrumentals remain a persistent backing in a track full of personality and edge — vocalist Casey Sowa holds a commanding presence, altering between husky whispers and rapidly swirling thoughts, while bandmate and girlfriend, Maro Helgeson provides a lush instrumental backdrop for it to fall upon. Strange Relations always has a habit of creating an atmosphere with their music — a place where all feels magic and anything is possible, and "LIN" is no exception.

As the band explains,

"LIN is about the yearning to make a real impact, and feeling distanced over time from the original drive that sparked the pursuit through the act of repetition in performance/performativity. It's about losing yourself to your ambitions, and feeling perpetually swept up in the competition of life. It's about the pressure to be or become desirable in order to fulfill your personal desires. This track was particularly inspired by Metric; there's even a lyrical reference that is a bit of an homage to Emily Haines, one of my main inspirations as a songwriter (see if you can spot it)."