New Smany: “Maboroshi”

For a while there, a lot of artists embraced hushed vocals set over slowly unfolding electronic backdrops. That musical foundation, though, seems to have become a little less prevalent in recent times. Smany reminds why it can be so affecting, though, on “Mabroroshi,” a song from her forthcoming full-length album To Lie Latent. Everything moves slowly here, from the muffled beat to the acoustic guitar plucking interrupted by electronic ripples. Smany’s own vocals appear just as unhurried, as she lets every syllable roll out in a way that their impact isn’t wasted. This slow build only makes the moment when the tension ramps up via some late song noise, introducing a little unease into an otherwise easy song to meld into. Listen above.