Listening to Michael Figueroa‘s new single ‘Love You (I Don’t)’ gives the impression of leafing through the personal notebooks of this lyricist. He pours out his feelings with a powerful sincerity, even as he switches from love to the absence of it; it’s that confusing swirl of emotions that feels very immediate and present. It’s all the more potent considering that this track presents a return to music after twelve years, which Figueroa describes as “the worst 12 years of my life.” Like many creative souls, songwriting provides a much needed outlet and it has been a go-to route of catharsis for this artist since his early years.
In this sense, as much as ‘Love You (I Don’t)’ is symbolic of moving forward, it’s also about retracing those steps to a more innocent time of inspiration and ambition. There’s certainly nostalgic influences here, with 2010s indie and 1970s folk perceptible through the warm strings, noodling refrain, and pacing percussion. These retro sounds emphasise the reflective lyrics which hark back to a summer-fling that burned itself out, as so many of them do. Figueroa‘s soft vocals swim in a sea of child-like wonderment, which invites listeners further into his creative world.
‘Love You (I Don’t)’ is such an impressive debut from Michael Figueroa and we can’t wait to hear what else he has in store in his forthcoming EP.
You can also listen to ‘Love You (I Don’t)’ in our Shades of Pop playlist.
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