Music has changed significantly in recent years, with hip hop and pop seemingly dominating the market. For the millennials and above, the days of indie rock and alternative music that nestled in the 1990s bring back some of the best memories. So, when an artist decides to break the monotony of today’s popular music with a throwback or ode, we welcome it with open arms.
Stepping up to the plate to serve us starving music lovers is Austin, Texas’ synth based electronic independent artist, 1st Base Runner. The one-man team conducted by artistic visionary Tim Husmann blends the moody and gothic elements of an Interpol track with the ethereal and cosmically dark tones of Thom Yorke on his latest single, “Pirouette.”
On the wavy single, Husmann takes the listener on a melancholic exploration of struggling to find one’s own direction in life.
“This song is about trying to find your way again. It’s about the struggles we all experience in life and a need to find the strength to overcome them. It explores ideas of directionality in a world that often provides none.”
-Tim Husmann of 1st Base Runner
Sonically, the track is mellow, with orchestral sounding synths pulsating throughout, blessing the song with an addictive heartbeat. The vocals are reminiscent of a OK Computer era Radiohead song as demonstrated by the elongated vocal lines and nearly indistinct word pronunciation.
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For those who are wondering, the word “Pirouette” is a type of ballet dance in which the dancer is spinning on one leg. The connection between this imagery and the music video of a man swimming from one end of a pool to the next contrast each other rather well. Tinged with a sepia tone coloring, the music visual gives off a nostalgic, dreamy impression. When paired with the music, one can’t help but to feel the conflicting emotions of anxiety and relaxation, simultaneously.
The Husmann led project sprouted after a seven-year hiatus of making music. 1st Base Runner popped onto the scene earlier this year with the single “All Thoughts.” The music video, encapsulates a steam-punk theme with a man sitting on the top of an upright piano playing the keys with his robotic, stylistic feet. “All Thoughts” is a perfect introduction to the overall aesthetic and direction that Husmann is attempting to take with this musical endeavor.
“It was something that had to be made. I had tried to suppress the concepts and ideas explored in the 8 tracks for several years. It is my willingness to be vulnerable and laid bare before others in an attempt to glimpse some fundamental truths about what it means to be here and to be present. It is an exploration of expectations and shortcomings and how they in turn will make us all the more uniquely human. No one gets out with clean hands, not on this ride, and not in this lifetime.”
-Tim Husmann of 1st Base Runner
“Pirouette” is a wondrous track and it should be interesting to hear what 1st Base Runner releases next. 1st Base Runner’s full-length album Seven Years of Silence is slated to be released April 8th, 2021.
Click here to keep up to date on the latest releases from 1st Base Runner.
