motel void

I’m probably not wrong to say that this is the first track – out of the roughly thousand I’ve recommended here – that comes from Bulgaria. And it’s a genuinely lovely debut.

Bare Knees is a new project from Eastern Europe that has so far released two singles, Six of Cups and good night. Stylistically, Six of Cups sits somewhere between bedroom pop and indie folk. The opening immediately sets a nostalgic, Mazzy Star–like mood, built around simple acoustic instrumentation and a truly beautiful vocal performance. On its own, that atmosphere might not be enough to carry the whole song – but Bare Knees clearly knows this.

After about a minute and a half, things begin to shift. The track opens up into a cleverly constructed and highly infectious instrumental line led by a repetitive synth motif, which gives the song a new sense of momentum. The addition of a male vocal works as a refreshing contrast and adds another emotional layer. The gradually intensifying finale is, for me, the highlight of the entire track.

I’m really looking forward to hearing a full album. This is a project I’ll definitely be keeping an eye on!