A nostalgic jangle-pop anthem, “Leave Me in the Dark” is a riveting single from Bergen, Norway-based act Secret Treehouse. Embodying a “Scandinavian happy-sad” dichotomy, the track juxtaposes bright, danceable synths and bouncy guitars with a heavy narrative tackling toxic relationships, narcissistic exploitation, and the eventual liberation of breaking a painful romantic obsession.
Jangly guitars and bouncy bass start the track with a nostalgic warmness, hearkening to the ’80s with its melodic guitar work and ensuing synth-laden flourishes. A stirring vocal presence pairs with weighty lyrical prowess — “we had a child, you had your ego to grow…” — with the approachable guitar/synth interplay, aesthetically reminiscent of TOPS, particularly with the impactful chorus’ “in the dark” punctuating refrain.
“Leading me on, will you stay or will you go? A hook is so strong,” the magnetic vocals continue, tracing a relationship’s crossroads into the more spirited chorus, perseverant in its “don’t tear me apart” urgings when a beloved is incapable of fully committing. The two-minute turn then dazzles with its effervescent synth additions and harmonious vocal switch-up, cathartic in its “now I’m free…” danceable sentiments. Moody yet triumphant in its jangle-pop charm, “Leave Me in the Dark” is a stellar replay-inducer of a single from Secret Treehouse.
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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.
