Girl at the Rock Shows

I’m giving up on work today. The emails won’t stop coming in. The texts and messages from friends asking about Blink 182 tickets or my thoughts on the When We Were Young 2 situation, trying to figure out what I am going to say at my best friend’s wedding this weekend, getting whiffs of the litter box that probably needs to be cleaned, randomly thinking about the laundry sitting in the dryer downstairs that has been there for a few days now… I’m just done. Overwhelmed, done, and in need of something to calm me down a little bit before I try to rally for this afternoon’s workload. The only thing that has ever been able to help drive me forward on days like this has been new music so let’s see if Selina Gin’s new album ‘Patiently Waving’ will do the trick.

‘Patiently Waving’ starts with “Default Setting” which instantly hit me right in the gut. Even though the beginning starts off slow, steady, and a bit calmer than I typically go for, it hit the spot perfectly and, when the vocals came in, I felt as if I was getting swept off of my feet in a beautiful way. There’s something extremely sultry about Selina Gin’s voice. It’s part heartbreak and part energy blending into a perfect soundscape that matches the minimalistic instrumentation in a flawless way. There’s almost a jazzy element in this opening track that I found completely addicting and am truly hoping will last throughout this album.

The atmospheric vibe laid out in “Default Setting” continues into “Good Cry” but the beat ramps up a little bit to create a perfectly infectious base for this track. The versatility in Selina’s voice comes to fruition in this track as well. Although you still get that smoky almost jazzy vibe, there’s an undeniable sense of power in her voice throughout this second song that I found staggering. With lyrics revolving around “You and I, you and I, all we need is a good cry”, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t feel my eyes swelling up with emotion and just let this song take me over.

Although “Voice On The Radio, Pt. I” is more of a filler track than an actual song, the beauty encompassed in it makes it impossible to ignore. Selina’s vocals take another shift into a siren-like style hitting some of the highest of highs with ease. The ambient quality of the instrumentation helps shine the spotlight on her vocals and definitely got me prepped and ready for “Young & Alive”. The way the two songs flow between each other is a true work of art. “Young & Alive” seems to take more of that ambiance felt in “Voice On The Radio, Pt. I” but also continue to expand on Selina’s overall vibe and passion. With a super catchy chorus that I didn’t quite see coming, I loved the curve ball that both of these tracks threw in the middle of this album.

Although the entire album seems to have a very serious and almost somber tone to it, there’s a playfulness in “‘Cause We Had It All” which instantly made it a favorite of mine. Don’t get me wrong, this absolutely has that Selina Gin magic in it but has more of a commercial feeling to the overall composition and instrumentation. I love this poppier side of Selina and this track in particular had me wanting to just dance it out. Dance it all out. So that’s exactly what I did. I got up from my chair, pushed it under my desk and just started dancing while playing this song on repeat a few too many times to the point where I’m pretty sure I could do this track as a karaoke song if needed tonight.

Things slow back down for “You Fools”. Although one of the shortest track on the album, the amount of power that comes with this sensitive track is amazing. It’s another more ambient showing of what Selina can give you but also really focuses in on her vocal intensity as she sings with that signature balance of heartbreak and soul. There’s a weight in the words throughout this track that is almost unbearable at times making it one of the most beautiful tracks on this album (although, thus far, the entire thing is gorgeous). I found the instrumentation in this track to be the most interesting but also the least commercial. Almost sounding like an orchestra tuning and getting ready for a performance, the scattered nature of the notes just adds to that organic vibe that has been in Selina’s voice throughout the previous tracks.

I would have liked to have heard more of the almost improvised style instrumentation after “You Fools” but wasn’t bummed as “Weighing Me Down” came in with a straight and steady drum beat while Selina’s vocals danced over minimalistic instrumentation like it had in some of the first few tracks. There are only three tracks after this one and I would love to hear even more from this versatile musician but having it relate back to some of the first few tracks was just as exciting to me. That excitement just continued to grow as “Multiple Reasons” took over my speakers with a new found sense of aggression and power. The beginning of this track is a bit weird sounding a bit like a phone dial tone. Honestly, I hated that sound but loved the way that it faded into the background (while staying almost constant throughout the track) and really drew my attention to this track. With a heavy dance beat and more bass prominent instrumentation, this was one of those heart-thumping type of tracks that I would love to see performed live if only to feel the bass in my heart and soul.

After a quick recall to “Voice On The Radio, Pt. I” with, you guessed it, “Voice On The Radio Pt. II”, it was time for the final track “I See What You’re Fighting For”. This final track makes the album fade out instead of just coming to an abrupt end. Sometimes I like albums that end with a sense of triumphant power that makes you want to go back and start the journey all over again but honestly, listening to ‘Patiently Waving’ as a whole has been a bit like a meditation session so I loved how this final track seemed to gracefully and peacefully welcome me back to the workday. A stunning end to a gorgeous album, Selina Gin is truly a master of her craft and has so much to offer in this album alone. She is a voice and a name to watch out for and I do hope that this Danish vocalist can make her way to the states sometime soon. This would be one of those shows that I would love to experience, not just see.

My Favorite Track(s): “”Cause We Had It All”

For Fans Of: Stunning Vocals; Emotion; Low-Key Ambient Instrumentation

Mosh-ability: 1 out of 10

What My Cats Thought Of It: Both cats slept on the couch all cuddled together

How Badly I Want To See This Performed Live: 8.7 out of 10

My Overall Rating: 9 out of 10

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