Clara Aakre's new single "Through" is the kind of song that doesn't merely play in the background. It sticks around, sneaking into your thoughts long after the final note.
Aakre's nimble yet expressive voice floats atop a warm acoustic guitar and gentle percussion, producing an intimate yet expansive soundscape. There's a talking nostalgia in her delivery as if she's softly reminding us of something we felt but never knew how to say. Produced by Roni Ylhäinen, "Through" has a thick analog warmth, which deepened every chord until it sounded like a confidant whispering a secret. And when the strings and horns arranged by Aakre's sister, Milla Käyhty, swell behind you, it's as if "Through" is breathing with you.
"Through" explores ephemeral connections that dissolve before our eyes but shape our hearts. Aakre doesn't walk listeners through her grief step by step; she leaves room for them to fill in the blanks and bring their memories, the conversations that were never completed. It's a narrative device that feels as instinctive as it is deliberate.
With this, Clara Aakre gives a stunning preview of her upcoming album. The astonishing bonus track for this unnamed project is any guide. We're in for something quite beautiful: Music that doesn't just sound nice but feels like it's yours.