Greek-born, London-based artist Olina artfully captures the tension between digital overload and the desire for stillness on “Starstruck Simulation,” a dreamy synth-pop track shaped by dissociation and the search for something real. Following her By The Book EP, the single balances understated production with emotionally weighty songwriting.
Hypnotic, spacey synths and gentle percussion combine for a blissfully atmospheric introduction, bolstered by vague backing textures. The rhythm section maintains as Olina’s lead entry emerges, lyrically aspiring for a sense of stillness and personal space in a world where chaos is prevalent. “I want to sit with my thoughts, but my thoughts don’t sit still, they pixelate and float,” her phrasing lets out, venturing into a delightfully colorful range of mellow yet melodically impactful synths. The harmonious synth-pop demeanor pairs with a very relatable thematic hold, where one’s thoughts are racing in accordance with societal expectations, even while craving for inner serenity.
“I wanna feel still,” her aspirational delivery continues, hoping to “lose trace of the simulation.” This sequence, just after the one-minute turn, further enamors in the added synth effervescence and a brief chirping-like effect; the result reminds fondly of Mitski, in balancing dreamily understated pop with heavy emotive weight and poignancy. “Starstruck Simulation” is another showcase in fantastic, relevantly modern songwriting from Olina, who has previously caught our ears with gems like the track “sadist” and the By The Book EP.
—
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.
