Hey, nothing. Atlanta's emo-folk duo returns with another heart-rending tale of grief and recklessness with their new single, "33°." Texans Tyler Mabry and Harlow Phillips are known for their starkly poetic lyricism and spellbinding harmonies, and this time, they've spun a sonic tapestry that lingers long after the last note has evaporated.
Constructed atop sparse acoustics that swell into a spiraling storm of horns, distant howls, and aching harmonies, "33°" articulates the tragic story of a boy spiraling in the aftermath of his parent's divorce. The plunge into self-destructiveness, taking his elder brother Tommy down with him, is a raw meditation on how trauma travels between generations, seen from multiple vantage points. "It's about how children grapple with the weight of things they don't quite understand," the band says. "And how unspoken wounds can result in irreversible consequences."
The slowly burning track reflects the quiet tension of its subject matter. Each frayed guitar strum and softly whispered word feels like it's unspooling. By the time "33°" crests, nothing has summoned a soundscape so palpable that it feels like you're standing on that melting lake and watching it crack beneath you.
After the hypnotic "Barn Nursery" and the painfully raw "Sick Dogs," "33°" ensures hey, nothing is one of the most compulsively listenable sounds in emo-folk today. With sets at Kilby Block Party and Bonnaroo to come, not to mention more tour dates in the offing, 2025 is poised to be a pivotal year for the duo. But for now, "33°" is proof enough.