Already having captured our attention the first time around with her lovely debut, ”Ouroboros”, the Australia-based chanteuse, Airling, is back again to immerse herself in those "Cloud 9 Dream-Pop" vibes with her latest track, "The Runner". It's introduction is a chill-inducing blend of jazz-inspired electronic and some ultra-fresh melodic pop, but the real magic happens when you notice that she's thrown in a smattering of half-developed sound bites into the mix. As stand-alone sounds, they would seem out of place and underdeveloped, but when folded into the completed track, they add a layer of richness that's just plain enthralling. Juxtaposed against the rolling melodies are snippets of muted guitar chords and low-octave vocals, serving as sharp little stabs of audio dissonance which do wonders to liven up the decidedly chill production work. Half of the time, Airling doesn't even give these bits of eclectic audio time to fully develop (leaving your imagination to fill in the gaps), but we're definitely not complaining, because when you step back and take stock of the track as one unified piece of art, all of the little quirks make sense, and they give "The Runner" an identity that's both unique and subtle in its execution.
Airling