Photo Credit: Alex Munro
NYC-based progressive pop duo mmeadows — made up of current Dirty Projectors member Kristin Slipp and Beyoncé, Lorde, Harry Styles, Taylor Swift, Laurie Anderson and more collaborator Cole Kamen-Green — shared “Working On Me,” a new single and video from their upcoming album Light Moves Around You, out February 3rd. First premiered via Under the Radar, the track is an ode to self improvement. As Slipp notes, the song found its way onto the album through its strong resonance with the duo’s audience: “Working On Me” is the only song on ‘Light Moves Around You’ that was not written in the early spring months of 2020, but some time before. I wondered if it would fit in. The more we played it live this past year, the more audiences connected with it, and we realized that people were drawn to the message. Without getting bogged down in metaphor, the words are plain spoken and clear: I’m trying to become the best version of myself. Witnessing this sentiment resonate in a crowd is a salve for me, and I hope the recording offers the same to others.” Indeed, from its mellow beginning through to the swell and strength of its finale, the track soothes and inspires.
The single comes as the band prepares to embark on a tour of the West Coast and Southwest, starting January 18th, supporting Will Sheff of the acclaimed band Okkervil River. This is their second set of dates with Sheff, following a successful string of shows in November of last year.
“Working On Me”: Listen / Watch
For Slipp and Kamen-Green, mmeadows is a means of survival, an outlet to anchor themselves from the currents of life. “Kristin and I speak different ‘technical’ musical languages. But we are completely aligned in what we hear sonically and emotionally,” says Kamen-Green. “We rarely disagree on the direction of a song,” adds Slipp. Fluid and rhythmic, organic and electronic, their singular alt-pop songcraft is the synthesis of complementary talents, mutual trust, and years of partnership. Light Moves Around You reflects this connection; a dynamic and deeply-honed collection of pop songs that silence chaos and celebrate the tender acts of making space and taking care as heard on previously released singles “Baby-By,” “Light Moves Around You,” “You Should Know By Now,” and “By Design.”
Following the release of their debut EP Who Do You Think You Are? (2020), where mmeadows sequenced a run of exploratory singles, their approach with their new album is more intentional. The duo found purpose, nexus, and peace in the creation of the tracks, and the result is a cohesive body of work that unfurls and grooves from the same time and space. In mmeadows, vocal-focused pop songwriting is the heartbeat of the band, enriched by their liberal usage of found sounds and esoteric vintage instruments, like Kamen-Green’s EVI (Electronic Valve Instrument), in their productions and performances.
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