A colorfully hypnotic art-pop enamoring shows on “Confusion Inland,” a new single from Vancouver-based project The Beatroot Road. The final of five single releases until the release of their album Humanimal later this year, “Confusion Inland” struts an eclectic aesthetical appeal — a trait enjoyably captured in previously featured singles “It’s a Laugh in the West” and “Milte Hi Ankhen.”
For this latest track, the collective — led by Mark Russell and Hazel Fairbairn — embrace soulful vocal layers, reggae-inspired rhythms, and electronic textures. It also continues their penchant for successful, glove-spanning collaborations. Austrian artist Maddie Session features on lead vocals, while Canadian artist Ramy Zhang adds backing vocals. A piano solo from London-based artist Stuart Atkins also enamors. This in addition to Fairbairn adding rhythm fiddle and violin effects, and Russell playing drums, bodhrán, tambourine, bass, organ, and piano.
As the project explains: “This song is about traveling to a funeral. It’s mostly images and textures; struggling to come to terms with a disorienting loss, with no real message other than that life goes on, and the confusion will fade.”
The track dazzles right away in its fluttering electronic sounds and grooving rhythmic precision. A hypnotic vocal introspection eases in alongside, arriving into a memorable title-touting hook past the one-minute turn. Sludgy piano notes add a nocturnal element before a bouncier pop allure takes hold again. The “we’re all alone,” lyrical prowess adds to the overall sense of contemplation and loss, thematically, while the music delights throughout in its vibrant, head-nodding approachability. “Confusion Inland” marks another success from The Beatroot Road.
Check out our previous interview with The Beatroot Project here.
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This and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Emerging Singles’ Spotify playlist.
