Lane Lines – Like To Look Sad (2023)
Weaving together the angst and desperation of emo with modern-day alternative pop, Lane Lines joins the sweatercore revolution with their eclectic music. Formed in 2020 (give or take), the US-based trio is reaching an international audience with their melodies. This is my introduction to Lane Lines but since their debut album Cancelled Plans (released in 2020), Mandi L. Kimes, Austin Harshman and Shaun Fleming have featured on international radio stations and were named one of the best new Phoenix artists in 2020. The latest addition to their discography is the single ‘Like To Look Sad’.
Unlike their previous track ‘Tom’s Diner’ which has a flowing, toe-tapping wistfulness reminiscent of Elliot Page, ‘Like To Look Sad’ immediately tosses you into a hazy sonic whirlpool. Drawing influences from Frou Frou, Fleet Foxes and The Japanese House, the new track can easily be referred to as experimentally eclectic. Interestingly enough, while there is a brashness to the song with a distorted synth-inspired arrangement, ‘Like To Look Sad’ has an underlying whimsical dreaminess. Abrupt and slightly grating but simultaneously flowing with a foggy musicality, it is rather difficult to adequately describe ‘Like To Look Sad’.
What I find intriguing is how ‘Like To Look Sad’ shows an evolution in Lane Lines’ sound. Looking to find a new sound, or potentially create an entirely new genre, Kimes, Harshman and Fleming break boundaries in the new single. Unafraid to step into the provocative side of things, Lane Lines navigate audiences through trauma, love, mental health issues, inner conflict and other intimate concepts. Taken from their upcoming album, ‘Like To Look Sad’ encapsulates the confusion, frustration and madness of those intense issues.
For more from Lane Lines, check out their Instagram and Spotify.
This artist was discovered on Musosoup #sustainablecurator
