If you stumbled upon Nikki Esposito’s Star Funeral project back when she contributed to a compilation that raised funds for Long Island’s Amity Music Hall back in 2021, then you’ll already have heard her new single—though there’s a night-and-day difference between the two versions of “Half Whole, Half Empty” Esposito’s released. The acoustic version was tender and bruised; this new amped-up, full-band version is an absolute ripper, with the sound filled out by Ethan Kreidemaker on drums.
Arriving ahead of its inclusion on Esposito’s debut album as Star Funeral (out later this month), the single is 96 seconds of pure catharsis that stems from intense depression, a typically personal cut from In the Dark. “[It’s] written about myself,” Esposito shares. “I was extremely depressed, my feelings were so numb, and during that time I put myself into self-destructive situations. I had no care for myself and in a way, it was thrilling—the numbness of feeling completely nothing.”
Listen below. In the Dark is out March 24 via Count Your Lucky Stars.
