‘Nowhere soon / Soon we’ll get to nowhere / And we’ll talk to no-one / And not meet them.’ These are the words that wedge the start and finish of ‘Nowhere’, Shannon Lay’s lead single from upcoming album ‘August’ – her first on Sub Pop. What happens in between these words sang sparsely over acoustic guitar is unfathomable and happily so.
Produced by Ty Segall, you can feel his psych, strung-out wanderings permeate through ‘Nowhere’ and yet never do they overcloud the country-folk talents that saw Sub Pop sign Lay in the first place. ‘Nowhere’ also possesses the eccentric overtones usually flouted by Cate Le Bon, particularly when Lay shouts out repetitive triplets ‘kind, kind, kind…some, some, some.”
‘Nowhere’ is like an acrobat on high ropes, flinging itself from one platform to another, elaborately stretching itself out at each. It leads a tenuous life but it never sprawls too wide, keeping the listener within its constructs.
It’s no wonder ‘Nowhere’ is about journeys, as Lay explains: “I want this song to emphasise the importance of enjoying the journey. The video is moments of in between travel footage, different settings around my home, singing in the bounty of spring. There is so much power in presence, enjoy every moment, savour every second. Cherish the memories made along the way and appreciate how they change and shape you.”
Lay might not know where she’s going but we’ve got a good idea, right to the bloody top!
