“Break Even” is a recent track from Austin, TX-based singer/songwriter 1st Base Runner. The release showcases the strong atmospheric pull of songwriter and producer Tim Husmann, who fronts the project. The dark, industrial feel is led by murky vocals, brooding synth pulsations, and dramatic escalation — aesthetically like Nine Inch Nails meets Radiohead. Doses of guitar converge with ghostly vocal effects rounding the two-minute turn, the gorgeous vocal ascension thereafter sending chills. “Break Even” is a thoroughly captivating output from Husmann.
The track’s aptly atmospheric video — viewable above — is directed, photographed, and edited by Matt Mahurin.
Husmann explains more about the track below:
“This song is about the expectations other people place upon us in life. This could and should include life partners, parents, and authoritarian figures in general. It is written from the perspective of an adolescent trying to find meaning in the world. It attempts to reconcile the void between what is often given as advice and the underlying truths of what it means to be human and to be at peace with one’s existence. This is also intertwined with other people’s interpretations of a vengeful creator and the pitfalls of projecting anger on the behalf of a deity. The instrumental sections of the song are intended to carry the listener away and into the deeper chasms of meaning and purpose.”
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“Break Even” and other memorable tracks from this month can also be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Best of July 2021’ Spotify playlist.
