“Dead Malls” is a rousing, artful single from Sssstephen!, who first caught our ears this past December with the track “DMZ.” Especially captivating is the ascent from hushed, understated guitar strums into clanging, buzzy synths and increasingly ominous sonic architecture. The lead delivery exudes a wonderfully unsettling allure, ascending into what seem like reflections of youth on the “dead malls, prank calls” refrain. The gradual integration of saxophone is similarly captivating, free-flowing across the second half with intensifying fervor, leading into the ruminating rhythm of the finale. “Dead Malls” is another excellently produced track from Sssstephen!.
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This and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Emerging Singles’ Spotify playlist.
