The Bittersweets – We Are Not Well (2021)
The Bittersweets are deviating from their usual Americana-based sound for their single ‘We Are Not Well’. With a heavier touch of pop and cinematic influences, the duo reflects on how broken things seem to be right now. As event after event seems to turn the world upside down, they consider what we have become and what this means for the future.
Married duo Chris (multi-instrumentalist) and Hannah Meyers (vocalist) ask a lot of heavy questions in this single and really get you thinking. Since they started making music together, they have carefully moulded threads of familiar melodies into accessible emotions. With a searching feeling to their sound, they reach out into the ether for something that seems just out of grasp.
‘We Are Not Well’ strums to life with a toe-rapping vibe. As your tapping to the rhythm, a gentle tone hovers over the beats like the first rays of dawn. The melody brings an awakening feeling to the single like it is opening your eyes to something that is generally overlooked. This is something that works perfectly with the subject of the lyrics. As the song progresses, the beat picks up the pace and has you dancing along the soundscape. The new pace of the music drives the message of the track home in a firm but really engaging way. There is an interesting dip to softer melodics later in the track before everything starts to build again.
The awakening of the melody is perfectly connected to the opening lyrics of the track. Hannah’s vocals are light as she draws you into the lyrics before Chris’ voice joins to harmonise. There is a really touching feeling to the performance that smoothly slides into your chest and squeezes your heart. As the melody picks up, the duo turns your attention to some of the problems in the world and begin asking the heavy questions. Their vocals merge perfectly for a delightful harmonisation before the humming tones later in the track send shivers through you. It is an artfully arranged single that captures your mind and effortlessly puts you under their spell.
The Bittersweets ask some heavy questions and open your eyes to things you may overlook through the moving tones of ‘We Are Not Well’. If you are looking for a single that easily keeps you listening to it again and again while questioning the world, this is the one for you. With a smoothly paced melody and vocals that sink into you, the duo will have you looking at the world through a new lens.
Find out more about The Bittersweets on their website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
