Kate Harquail - “My Walls”

Kate Harquail is back on the blog with “My Walls,” a new single that describes the “power of love and the magic that can happen when we let our guard down.” And if we were going to let a song sweet-talk us into being vulnerable, this would be the one.

When last we heard from Harquail, she was packing up her “Sweaters” inside of an indie folk production, but “My Walls” has revealed a different side to her songwriting. In lieu of the acoustic guitar sound, she has pulled out the big guns, with a retro-inspired reverberated electric that warmly saturates the soundscape. When her voice appears, it is not difficult to imagine it being cradled between the waves of these giant swells of guitar.

Since this blog’s inception, we have not been shy of our fondness for Julien Baker, so when we saw that Harquail was also a fan, we were very much hoping for vocals like these. They lovingly glide through the recording, hitting every note as they effortlessly ease into their upper register before once again returning to the Earth. And though “My Walls” steps beyond the realm of indie folk, Harquail maintains the same, honest vocal approach that caused us to become fans of hers in the first place.

It’s no secret that we love a raw and stripped-back production, but it always blows our minds when we hear a great indie-rock-infused jaunt from a folk artist. And if you’re already familiar with Harquail’s music, you’re absolutely going to love the sonic space that she explores with “My Walls.”

-TM