As We Were | Aster YVS - Single Review
March 13 | Written By Cameron Mackenzie
‘As We Were’ is the new single by duo act Aster YVS. A haunting slow track that makes one yearn for those they miss. Accompanied by an equally artistic and complexity layered video. The track is a symphony of layered sounds, which grants the listener a new experience upon every revisit, discovering a new layer every time.
The track opens with a slow melodic guitar riff that sets the tone for this emotion filled track, before being introduced to lead singer Alyssa’s, soft and ethereal vocals. The song progresses with this style as we saunter through this track, with more and more layers being added throughout.
Sounds of a hand moving on the guitar frets can be faintly picked up and they give a real authentic feeling to this track. Adding to the diversity of this track, drums and a piano are introduced as the song starts to build up. A variety of layered synth sounds are introduced to complement the eerie vocals provided by the duo’s lead singer. Some reversed synth sounds are also added to accompany the longing sound of this single.
The lyrics depict a sad tale of reminiscing about a once carefree and lost childhood, desperately clinging to innocence and friendships like a child to its mother. Perfectly coupling up with the sounds and video produced by the incredibly talented and experimental Scottish combo.
The lead singer of the duo also has a previously released an EP in a similar style to what is heard in the single. You can listen to ‘There We Were, In a Frame’ by Aster by clicking here. The EP features tracks such as her single ‘Unaware Bliss’. The artist made her debut in 2019 with the single ‘Cool Luminescene’.
The Glaswegian band take influence and inspiration from many fantastic artists such as Kelsey Lu, Kelly Lee Owens, Mitski, HAAi and A.G Cook. Safe to say you can add Aster YVS, to this pantheon of artists.
This imaginative and experimental track is a first for the duo, breaking barriers for themselves and treating us, the listener, to a fanciful and heartfelt expression of longing.
