Sweet boy Howlie returns with ‘Suffocate’. The new single is his first since the release of his Contact High EP and signals a shift in songwriting. Having followed his career and even peeking at his discography on Bandcamp, it’s nice to see a bit of sunshine amongst the artwork. In true Howlie fashion, the sunshine comes with clouds. While firmly loved up in a new relationship, the song is a mantra to himself to keep his emotions in check.
This acoustic number boasts a modest setup but isn’t afraid to clock in at over six minutes. Six minutes that fly by. Strong chords ring throughout it, setting up a strong foundation for the vocals to have their fun with painting pictures. The lyrics spoke are sparse, but do a great job providing the perfect context to put you right in the middle of Howlie’s fears. The subtle additions of backing vocals add some depth, and the melodic sections between the lyrics help the song flow effortlessly.
‘Suffocate’ is a wonderful song. It’s nice to witness the growth and progression of an artist’s work over the years, and Howlie continues to show his craft by dabbling in new avenues that were previously unexplored. All kept within this Lo-Fi aesthetic. I hope this is the start of a stream of releases, culminating in a glorious puddle of noise I can splash in forever.