oddnesse - “The Chills”
“The Chills” is the gorgeous new release from USA-based oddnesse. The song is a reflective journey through the uncertainty and anticipation of endings.
“The Chills” uses some great sound textures to capture a dreamy, yet melancholic mood. The song’s opening mellotron pad, the softly played acoustic, and the slide guitar create a highly contemplative atmosphere. The low notes of the slide guitar successfully lend an emotional feel to the arrangement. A deep bass line provides most of the song’s melodic lines, whilst a slow drum rhythm gently pushes the song forward.
The dynamics grow over the chorus sections, giving a feeling of tension and release. The lovely accompanying backing vocals are dreamy, light, and harmonize wonderfully. There is a genuine sense of space over these sections. The song’s sound pallet is further expanded with the addition of bells and what I believe to be a xylophone. These are wise production choices and make “The Chills” memorable.
The lyrics examine the lingering emotions that come with leaving a relationship or a place that may have been home for so long, pondering what may come with the next chapter in life. “The Chills” is a beautiful track that is full of reflection and feeling. It wonderfully captures a mood through its use of different sound textures and fantastic vocal work and is definitely one to check out.