sandalwood - “spinning out”

From the deluxe edition of the LP, in arm’s reach, Nicholas LaDue, aka sandalwood, has just delivered “spinning out,” a song that measures the fallout at the end of a relationship.

“spinning out” is built upon a seemingly looped acoustic guitar that is panned subtly to the right as the rest of the song falls in layers across the top. The vocals, at first, are reasonably deep as LaDue sets the scene for this indie-folk heartbreaker. Some ethereal sounds pad out the production, at times resembling glitchy nature foley, ensuring that the listeners interest remains piqued.

By the thirty second point, some delightfully smooth vocal harmonies appear to add width and texture to the already melancholic performance. It is not long before some ghostly and vibey electric guitar notes join in, adding vibrance to the already cinematic soundscape. And it is here where the song really opens itself to reveal its heart, expanding once again with another layer of harmonies.

LaDue’s falsetto is a definite highlight as it climbs into the peak of the song’s emotion, urging all who hear to add it to those playlists you listen to when your world is falling apart. “spinning out” will help you to heal from your wounds, but it can also open forgotten ones, whichever you prefer as you let it carry you away.

LaDue adds: “I wrote this song in February 2023 after a pretty bad breakup. It was the week of my debut album releasing, so there was a lot of emotion tied up into this song. I produced it with my roommate and fellow musician, Gonzo, who also mixed and mastered the track (and the whole album). My friends John Lisi and Ray Warth play upright bass and slide guitar on the track as well, respectively. This is perhaps my favorite song I’ve ever written and recorded, and I'm so proud of it. Hope you enjoy it too and blast it in your car or aggressively sing along…”

-TM