With her latest single, Don’t Let Me Down, Detroit-based indie artist Jessie Berkshires carved a new vein into the dream-pop pantheon. Opening with tenderly hammered minor piano notes entwined with a syncopated, trip-hop-inspired beat, the track balances warmth and alienation in bittersweet duality.
Beneath its polished production lies a raw exploration of the paradox of love and its ability to flood your world with light while igniting fears of the darkness of heartbreak. Berkshires’ lyricism pierces with its candour: the tension between vulnerability and the need for reassurance is as gripping as the delicate melodies that carry it. Her ethereal vocal delivery is perfectly framed by an instrumental arrangement that feels both spacious and all-consuming, like staring into a love you want to trust but fear will falter.
The balance of the raw, relatable emotion and the cold visualisations of romantic dissonance in the instrumentals allow Jessie Berkshires to establish herself as an artist who knows exactly how to amplify her lyricism with melodies which may be quiescent, but they know exactly how to pull the evocative punches.
Don’t Let Me Down was officially released on November 22 and is now available to stream on all major platforms, including Spotify.
Review by Amelia Vandergast