Spanish based duo, Escarteen Sisters have got a new single, titled Willow Tree. Armed with their viola and cello, these two have created a genuinely incredible piece of music, their first in a couple of years. This return hopefully is the first of many more singles to come.
Willow Tree is very atmospheric, almost dramatically so in places, using stringed instruments to create these built up background noises that feel tense. But it is also quiet and subdued in other ways, like the fact that there is a lack of instrumentation throughout, relying quite heavily on the vocals in the track.
It’s just a pretty arty sounding song, the type you could imagine being used in the credits of a TV show.
It has an odd opening, sounding like someone is breathing, but it’s very percussive. When the vocals come in, it is hard not to note that it is a unique voice. Bjork feels like she could be an influence, and it is certainly attention grabbing.
The vocal harmonies in the track are lovely, and because there isn’t much going on instrumentally, it really fills the song out and makes it sound that much fuller.
And even though it doesn’t always appear like there is very much going on, it also sounds like it’s very intricate, take for example the part where there is a bit of quiet. This is then followed by noises that resemble someone tapping items in their kitchen, pots and pans and the like. It’s very interesting.
It’s hard to focus on everything going on, which I think is what makes it seem more basic than it is. You can’t process everything, especially in one listen. It’s hypnotic, particularly the ending, which is repetitive.
The song feels like it uses the tree as a metaphor throughout, but again, it is hard to pinpoint exactly if this is correct. Honestly it has fever dream energy, like if Alice in Wonderland was a song. It’s haunting, confusing, but somehow very very good.
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