Virens - “stitch me back up”
Photo: Louisa Tratalos
When we first heard from Virens, the London-based duo were releasing their debut track, “salut!,” which just so happens to be one of our favorite finds so far this year. But they are back on the blog with proof that “salut!” was no fluke, as they reveal a more vulnerable side of their songwriting through “stitch me back up.”
This one starts with some acoustic guitar that is gently being pushed forward by a soft rhythm and a distant synth pad. The percussion, at this point, sounds like nothing more than a knuckle tapping against the body of the guitar– it is quite lovely and peaceful in its bareness, but when the vocal harmonies arrive, that is when the true magic begins. And if you’ve been keeping up with our blog posts, you’ll know that we have a weakness for these layered swells of harmonizations, which this song more than successfully delivers.
We would warn you not to fooled by the somewhat positive moments that the lyrics can, at times, lead you to believe– this song is reasonably dark– and we should know, since that’s our favorite brand of music. But this is made very clear through the overall mood of the track, as there is nothing happy or bouncy about it– “stitch me back up” is serious business and though you may find yourself tapping your foot when the production opens up at the one-minute mark, it is ultimately a song for wounded lovers– and a fantastic one at that.
“stitch me back up” is, again, a very different side of Virens, when compared to “salut!” and we simply cannot wait to see what they come up with next.
-TM