Transporting me to a nighttime tropical cruise with its mysteriously nostalgic glow, “Where Are You Paradise?” is an engrossing new track from Mermaid in China. The Portland, OR-based act infuse a variety of instrumentation throughout, including lushly recurring ukulele, hypnotic slide guitar, and atmospheric synthesizers. A sparse initial showing of guitars and vocals unfold steadily, with emotive strings and percussive pitter-patter hinting at the atmospheric expansion to follow. Ample rhythmic energy takes hold thereafter, giving off the feeling of traversing into the unknown, especially as the vocals wink: “There’s a secret you should know.” This track’s overall vibe and production captivates and tempts ample replays.
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“Where Are You Paradise?” and other memorable tracks from this month can also be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Best of January 2021’ Spotify playlist.
