Dublin duo Phoeno have released a new song, "Safety," a sparkling slice of indie pop that manages to fall so effortlessly off the end of its sound barrier radar. Adam Matthews and Liam Corbett, the project's dynamic duo, create a soundscape in which downcast guitar textures grapple with shining synths, a suitably bittersweet canvas for a portrait of being past anger and into acceptance. "Safety" is the soft exhalation of letting go, a slow breath out that gathers around anyone who has had to let something they treasured drop from their hands.
The song's touches of shoegaze and indietronica give it a dreamy, almost cinematic quality. It's intimate yet expansive, the sort of music that can feel personal and universal. Phoeno is a child of its surroundings, the idea for the duo's name, as well as its initial inspirations, were born in Dublin's Phoenix Park. During the lengthy meditative runs of the COVID lockdowns, Matthews and Corbett discussed the sounds, lyrics, and themes that would go on to shape their unique electro-pop universe.
"Safety" is a quaint reflection of Phoeno's skill at making openness transportive. It's indie pop that creeps its way into your heart through emotional honesty and a luscious, undeniable production. For anyone looking for music that leans melancholic and hopeful, introspective with melody, Phoeno's latest is a quiet triumph. With "Safety," Phoeno solidifies themselves as a duo to watch, pairing illustrative storytelling and complex sound design in a manner that's uniquely theirs.
Discover Phoeno on Instagram