It may just be that I’m approximately 80 years old in DIY years, but I don’t think I can go to house shows anymore solely for the stress that comes with letting my mind wander while watching bands play in a crowded basement—specifically imagining the anxiety of living in a house where strangers are regularly passing through, and where there’s really nowhere to escape to on any given night when a gig’s being held.
It’s comforting to hear these agoraphobic and claustrophobic concerns being confirmed on the new single from Grant Pavol, who channels this exact experience into his forthcoming EP Reflections. The new track plays Pavol’s demure vocals against anxious instrumentals which reflect fellow Philadelphian Alex G’s ticking lo-fi compositions—not to mention the warm vocal distortion heard on recent output from LA’s BOYO—with what sounds like uneasily warped guitar tones.
“This one is about having a breakdown at a party,” he shares. “A friend of mine was describing to me a really intense experience they had where they basically locked themselves in the bathroom at a house party and had a freakout. Like a lot of other tracks on this EP, this song attempts to embody that sense of tense, agoraphobic dread, lyrically. I had been living at a show house for about eight months before COVID hit, so I had a lot of experiences hiding out in my room while shows were going on, and still hearing the music pulsing through the walls. It can feel pretty claustrophobic. I drew on that heavily for the track.”
Hear the track below, and expect Reflections out this Friday, October 8.
