song: Always, Be Together — Thanya Iyer

There’s much to get lost in and uncover on “Always Be Together,” the lead single from Thanya Iyer’s upcoming record, out 7/31 on Topshelf Records. It’s a single of wondrous imagination, adding small surprises to each passing second. From its outset, you tumble straight away into a swell of instrumentals, including flutes and keys which flitter and flutter in the background, providing a lush atmosphere that welcomingly swallows you.

Beginning with a sense of whimsy — a flute playing out a rapid, but still serene pattern — Iyer matches the single’s tone, steadfast in a hazy lyrical promise that repeats throughout the song — “Let’s make a deal to always be together even though we don’t belong.” And despite the recognition of knowing and understanding that these destines weren’t meant to be intertwined, there’s an unshakable beauty here — a sense of weightlessness provided in airy instrumentals and that can only come with the power of recognition.

Always, Be Together appears on Kind, out 7/31 on Topshelf Records.

photo by Sophie Grouev