Moving forward in life is always important, and Starleen knows this better than anyone and so she is giving encouraging words in her debut LP, titled “To Give In”. The seven-track LP is dark indietronica, set to make an impact on everyone who hears these tracks. This follows up her second single from this LP, “Anymore”.
Starleen is an indie singer-songwriter who is based in San Antonia, Texas. She works with her producer, Zachary Holmes, to create, write, and produce experimental electronica. They met in high school in a music theory class, and when high school was over, they started collaborating on sounds and melodies, dropping their debut single, titled “A Place To Hide” in March 2020. Their debut EP, “Life Is Strange”, soon followed a few months later. A year after, they returned to releasing music, by dropping “Right Back” in October 2021 – the music video, of which, won a film festival award in India. 11 months later, they dropped their next single, “Anymore”, before releasing their debut LP “To Give In”. Their music journey is only just beginning, easily marking their own stamp within the industry and keeping their integrity by making music that they love, at home, allowing them to make an artistic impression upon their listeners.
Talking about the LP, Starleen said: “With this project, I knew I wanted to create a dark world. The message I try to convey is that in life, we have choices. Although going back may be tempting, we have to move forward. People and their strength to overcome life’s battles always has been an inspiration to me. Lyrically, I have always gravitated towards artists like Nina Simone, Tom Waits, and Leonard Cohen, mostly because they talk about what it truly means to be human. And that’s something I try to bring in my music.”
Stream “To Give In” by Starleen on Spotify here:
The LP starts off with “Right Back” introducing us to the indie-pop and electronic-induced rhythms that Starleen has made her own (obviously with the help of her producer Zachary Holmes). Her vocals kick in after just over half a minute, allowing us to get used to the melody of the track, as she gives a powerful and inspired verse, allowing us to connect with her from the get-go. “Anymore” follows next, which is deeper and soulful, sonically, with Starleen taking her voice a notch or two down to meet the darker vibes of the track, giving an experimental thriller theme to the song. The third track is “Believed” which has an uptempo rhythm with electronic dance synths running throughout, while Starleen switches up her vocals again, touching on her falsetto now and again, whilst giving us an addicting and unforgettable chorus that matches well with the beat of the track, with her vocals reminding us of Montaigne.
“Time Slips Away” is the fourth track on “To Give In” and Starleen continues to show her versatility in the dark pop/electronica genre as this switches up the rhythm again while sticking with the theme of the LP, with a constant compelling rhythm that turns upbeat once the second half of the track starts, mixing well with Starleen’s vocal timbre runs. Next up is “Eventually”, which goes darker with subtle rock tones flowing throughout while Starleen’s vocals are aurally clear and full of emotion, with the chorus giving us chills. “Out Of Touch” follows, which is an edgy indie-pop anthem that strikes a chord with the listener as it stands out from the seven-track LP for its twisty melody and over-produced sound that spotlights Starleen in the best possible light. “From Myself” ends the LP with a meditative, electronic, trance track with Starleen’s vocals acting as additional beats for the track, fusing together to create a harmonic transcending sound; add that to her distinctive voice she’s using for the lyrics of the track that are full of inspiration and empowerment.
“To Give In”, the debut LP from Starleen, is available to download and stream across all platforms, right now, via Zürgbot Records. Starleen, together with her producer Zachary Holmes, is set to release a remix EP very soon.