Wryn - “Snake”
Photo by Ian King
California-based alt folk artist Wryn has just released the darkly evocative and slow-burning epic “Snake.”
“Snake” is an incredibly haunting track that shifts from despair to defiance like the roll of a tide. Built over a sparse but brooding electric rhythm guitar, the production is sparse and restrained, with only an evocative, cinematic synth pad accompanying until the emotive crescendo. At the crescendo’s peak, “Snake” briefly develops the sprawling vibes of Talk Talk coupled with the power of PJ Harvey.
Wryn’s velvety, raspy vocal sits front and centre for the duration of this expressive gem. Each word is delivered with a raw vulnerability that is reminiscent of Sharon Van Etten, with leaves each and every line feeling incredibly personal and deeply authentic.
On the track, Wryn adds: “This song stems from a righteous anger. A call to something older and deeper, it taps into my own personal experiences of not just systemic violence but the intimate and interpersonal kind. Having experienced assault in my past, this song was a way to transform my own pain into a call to action. ‘I can’t wait for an answer before I get free.’”
Filled with visceral storytelling, “Snake” is taken from Wryn’s forthcoming LP, Shapes. The album documents Wryn turning to music to process the emotions and experiences tied to PTSD and trauma: “My music got better, more personal because I was able to look at myself more clearly and see myself as separate from my trauma. Once I could see myself separate, I could see a lot. It’s not just about gender. That’s just one of the things that came from this process.”