Indie pop, Baltimore-based four-piece band Icarus Phoenix have just released their newest single “Painting”, from their upcoming fourth studio album set to release in August 2024. It’s based on guitarist and vocalist Drew Danburry’s experience with divorcing his wife of 13 years, leaving his 8-year-old son in her care to move across the country because of a housing crisis. The track is slow, painful, and methodical, not afraid to draw from Danburry’s emotions. Its musicality ties into the somber theme of the lyrics.
Getting right into the thick of it, our narrator starts his story off with how the song’s title ties into the story, being the escapism that the woman mentioned within the lyrics needs. It continues her story throughout its verses, with it getting even more heartbreaking the more it progresses. It’s a tragic story, fitting into the song’s themes. The instrumental is slow and rhythmic, complementing the despair that the protagonist of the story feels. In its crescendo, the instrumental switches up, with ambient noises replacing the sounds of melodic instruments. It completely catches you off guard, leaving you contemplating the story written within the track’s notes. Faint melodies are hidden in the distance, but they seem ensnared in the world’s noise; there is a morose, chaotic grace to it. It’s simply art.
Icarus Phoenix knows how to capture you with their talent and artistic vision, with this tragic tale of love lost being no different. “Painting” is out now on all streaming platforms, and will change your view of musical expression forever, leaving you absolutely addicted to the band’s distinct sound.