Exuding a timeless-sounding crooner pop aesthetic, “Old New York” is a recent single from Pat Berlinquette. The arsenal of patiently unveiling bass, guitars, and thumping percussion make for an apt nostalgic pull, particularly within the track’s thematic context — which contemplates the beauty of how technology can educate and inspire, though also bring forth a variety of pitfalls and tumult. The second half is especially rousing, expanding from the initial subduedness into a layered, expressive array of sounds — and concluding fittingly with an eerie, synth-y sense of futurism.
Berlinquette elaborates further on the track:
“My job in Google adTech makes me think about our future symbiosis with A.I. & Neuralink. Hopefully it ends up being a mutualistic relationship, not a parasitic one. Either way, in our lifetimes, we might go somewhere (like a virtual, classic New York) simply by thinking about it. Maybe can bring someone with us…on opposing sides of the world, but connected through thought.
There will be couples in this future—where one person is hesitant to succumb to being an early adopter, while the other person is trying to convince of its wonders…rattling off the pros and cons (minimizing the cons if they have skin in the game).
“Old New York” is about this push and pull.”
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This and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Emerging Singles’ Spotify playlist.
