Matt Sterling’s recent singles, “Leave It In The Dust” and “Beachtown Kids,” showcase his knack for pairing emotional honesty with hooky, replay-worthy production — spanning from punchy pop precision to dreamy intrigue.
Hazy guitars, debonair vocals, and brassy vibrancy converge with replay-inducing appeal on “Leave It In The Dust,” which Sterling describes as embodying “the raw frustration of being trapped inside of your own head, constantly pestered by thoughts you’ve tried to leave behind.” A series of hooky tonal emergences charm within, particularly in the shift from brass-touched dreaminess into jangling guitars and expressive vocals, culminating in the “close my eyes, take one last breath,” arrival and smitten “thinking of you,” admissions.
Another stellar track, “Beachtown Kids” casts a lusher intrigue, gorgeous in its caressing vocal layers and twanging, heartrending guitar work — melding with throwback pop and surf-y charm. “It’s a hazy, heartfelt ode to the quiet ache of wanting to be accepted – a soundtrack for anyone who’s ever felt uncool,” Sterling explains, noting the track’s inspiration being his move from “the Midwest to a California beach town when I was 18 and struggling to feel like I belonged.” Both tracks stir in their memorable songwriting and production.
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These and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Emerging Singles’ Spotify playlist.
