Instead of reinventing the wheel, Karyn Ann spun it in a brand-new direction with her latest timelessly enrapturing single, 8 Hours; a hauntingly beautiful ballad that captures the essence of Southern gothic magnetism, wrapped in a production that’s swallowed by arcane reverb.
The song is a masterful blend of timeless melodies and a stylistic distortion on the guitars that gracefully wrap around the vocal lines. These elements collectively weave a sonically cavernous landscape that seductively entices listeners into the depths of melancholy that the song explores.
The release, which is sure to resonate with fans of artists as diverse as Chelsea Wolfe to Brandi Carlile, elucidates the disassociation of losing your grip with the latter half of the space-time continuum, a theme that is both esoteric and deeply human.
The emotive lyricism of 8 Hours showcases Ann’s raw vulnerability, a trait that has seen the American songwriter praised and performing at notable festivals and venues. The narrative behind 8 Hours is as darkly compelling as its composition, delving into the hours that went missing when Ann awoke in a stranger’s van, with only a dim recollection of the preceding events. This raw and exposed nerve of a song not only reveals Ann’s prowess as a singer-songwriter but also demonstrates her ability to turn personal tribulation into profound artistic expression. She’s a phenomenon in her own right.
Stream or purchase 8 hours on Bandcamp.
Review by Amelia Vandergast