A new track from Woodacre, CA-based artist Prem Byrne, “How Life Is” distills the tension between youth and aging into a consuming, emotionally layered pop song. Byrne balances mortality with a lighter touch, while ’80s-inspired textures and bansuri create a distinctive sophisti-pop character around reflections on life, loss, and transition.
The production captivates in its range between contemplative verses and melodically affecting, title-touting melodic expanses, which remind fondly of Prefab Sprout’s sophisti-pop sound in its lush backing choral reflection, synth infusions, and caressing flourishes of bansuri. The first series of verses presents a solemn yet realistic look at aging, where one’s license is taken away because “he can’t drive now he’s too old.” The gorgeous chorus ensues, delivering “guess that’s how life is” while contrasting “young men up getting drunk in the bars” with depictions of aging.
An especially resonant sequence emerges in the “where we’re going we don’t need a car” line, where the lead delivery assumes a soaring entrancement amidst touches of spacey synths, transitioning smoothly into that beautiful bansuri aspect. The conclusion is ravishing in its bansuri incorporation alongside wholly memorable harmonic layers. Thematically and melodically stirring, “How Life Is” is a fantastic showcase in songwriting from Prem Byrne.
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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.
