There's nothing quite like meeting up with your crush at a house party — the anxiety and excitement culminating as you walk up the driveway, cheeks flushed and heart fluttering. The residual sounds of the party are drowned out by the glow surrounding your center of attraction. You're finally within range of exchanging pleasantries as you meet at the stairs leading up to the front door, but something is noticeably off. It's apparent that you're no longer the focal point of your crush's view.
Winnipeg's Living Hour cycles through this emotional roller coaster on "Bottom Step." Sam Sarty's lingering vocals draw out the second-long blow over the course of a few minutes. The meter change — transitioning the unexpected end of the fluttering chorus into the languid instrumental section — mimics the dismissal, simultaneously occurring in double time and slow motion. "Bottom Step" softly but assertively navigates the feeling of rejection, accented by delicate synth and brass. The song's accompanying visuals expand upon the protagonist's yearning for solitude, as Sarty enjoys a solo swim.
"Bottom Step" is the lead single for Living Hour's sophomore album, Softer Faces, due March 1, 2019 via Kanine Records.
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. 9(MDExMDQwMzQzMDEzNjMyMTE3MjRkNzlmNg004))