KAZIMI - “I Don’t Miss You”
Photo by Sophie Poppe
New York City-based singer-songwriter KAZIMI makes her debut on our blog with “I Don’t Miss You,” a song about the freedom that comes along with letting go of the past.
The track begins with some lovely sounds from a finger-plucked acoustic guitar. After a few bars, a second guitar joins, offering our ears gratifying hints of the melody. It is not long before KAZIMI’s soft vocal appears and, admittedly, what initially sold us on “I Don’t Miss You” is her gift of being slightly reminiscent of both Hope Sandoval and Zooey Deschanel. Her voice is a true delight and when you combine that with the subject matter, we are in indie-folk heaven.
A bit of bass is next to emerge from within the arrangement, nice and round as it forms a thick foundation for the existing elements. As we enter the song’s hook, the guitar turns from finger-style to a pleasant strum, slightly upbeat, with a bit of spring in its step. To our ears, it seems as though KAZIMI has utilized a doubled vocal here, which is successful in widening the production– a real treat if you’re lucky enough to be listening via headphones.
While the majority of “I Don’t Miss You” resides inside of a more sparse arrangement, it causes the vocal harmonies that join the mix for the second chorus to shine like bright beacons, guiding you into the song’s conclusion. These are easily our favorite aspects of any folk song, and here they work wonderfully at elevating the soundscape and leaving the listener longing for more.
And if that were not enough, KAZIMI takes the production a step further by adding some soft percussion, ensuring maximum sonic fulfillment. Patience will also reward you with a delicate string arrangement, as well as some call-and-response background vocals. “I Don’t Miss You” has a bit something for everyone– all you need to do in order to claim it is press that play button.
If you, like us, find yourself hearing “I Don’t Miss You” and still wanting more, be sure to check out KAZIMI’s previous releases. “River Run” will give you more of the same vibes, hitting you in those old, familiar feels as it begins as a sombre piano ballad. Rest assured that its production expands as more elements are added to the arrangement, most notably some slightly lo-fi drums and more of that rich bass. Of course, the spotlight, again, shines on another elegant vocal performance.
Finally, we would remiss not to suggest that you catch an earful of “Fever Dream,” the most upbeat of the tracks listed here. Pressing play will reveal much more of the drum sound from “River Run,” along with some ethereal and well-placed backing vocals, which are what keep bringing us back for multiple listens. It’s a track that steps a bit outside of the folk genre, just enough to catch a dream-pop vibe, but we’re hoping that these three songs imply that there is much more on the way from this talented New Yorker.
-HD