Kevin Atwater’s debut ep is markedly powerful despite its sonically subtle and soft overtones. The queer NYC based singer-songwriter has a template and he’s working off it beautifully. Building on the artists he adores like Sufjan Stevens and Phoebe Bridgers, Atwater’s surely starting to edge himself out with his own style of intimate and warm folk-pop. Kickstarting the record with a warm and fuzzy vocal harmonisation on ‘dispose’, Atwater’s voice alone starts to set the mood for this coming of age indie folk record. The characteristically hushed over vocal performance alongside a minimal acoustic performance goes strangely in line with the mundane but emotive storytelling that Atwater brings to such sumptuous life.
The album is in itself a portrait of queer desire and dedication, wherein Atwater brings together stories from the past and present into this seamless lullaby of a record. Atwater discusses lust and longing on ‘ashes’ and ‘into the bed’. Other pieces are far more light hearted and supple like ‘money shot’ and ‘too late now’. It’s unafraid in being explicit and delving deep into the intricacies of a relationship’s intimacy, desire, and the problems that are often swept under the rug amidst it all. The falsetto in ‘money shot’ is an undoubted highlight.
The final piece on the album, ‘a song about murder’, is perhaps Atwater at his most creative and measured. The dark and grim subject matter, which discusses killing someone for someone else, is flipped on its head to become a declaration of friendship and kindness. It highlights the strength of certain bonds, the lengths we’d go to for those we cherish. The rather solemn tone of the piece is soothing despite lyrics that might be outwardly disturbing. On the outro, where Atwater is joined by a chorus of his close friends, the album hits its zenith in a single beautifully harmonised and endearing piece of bliss.
A record for gloomy days that will have you going through the full spread of emotions.