London-based artist Olina showcases a rousing, expansive sound on her latest single “Tug of War,” which expands seamlessly from subdued acoustic-forward folk into emotive incorporations of vibrant strings and harmonious vocal layers, powerfully declaring a “striving for eternal peace” following personal tumult. Thematically, the lyricism captures a state of being torn between stability and aspiration, with both sides pulled at insistently until it feels impossible to hold on.
Representing the second single release from Olina’s upcoming By the Book EP, “Tug of War” develops tonally like an artistic reflection of personal growth. The initial reflections on how “you robbed me of my youth” resemble a coming-to-terms with one’s growing up, experiencing betrayal and disillusionment. These introspections are complemented by a minimalist folk allure, and are completed by more grandiose instrumentation as the vocal emotion continues to swell in clarity and self-actualization.
“And I didn’t mean to hurt you, but it got to my head, messed my senses up,” Olina’s vocals let out during an especially magnetic sequence, with fervent strings and backing vocal immersion. An admission to “scooping the past, for signs I might’ve missed” furthers the sense of retracing one’s steps, in a path for catharsis and acceptance — and ultimately moving forward. “Tug of War” is another powerful showing from Olina, who also impressed in July with the track “Newspaper Smell.”
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This and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Emerging Singles’ Spotify playlist.
We discovered this release via MusoSoup.
