Lost Chimes‘ latest opus, Something Different, is a sonic journey that transcends mere sound and emerges as a deeply philosophical exploration of connection, distance, and the vastness of both human relationships and the cosmos itself. The track, lifted from their upcoming second album Now I Swim, feels like an odyssey, a meditation on the evolution of intimacy and the unseen threads binding us across time and space. The song’s spoken word elements, spacey ad-libs, and dynamic vocal layering create an otherworldly, immersive soundscape that invites the listener to lose themselves in its depths. This is folk-pop reimagined through a psychedelic lens, a dream-state of sonic textures that calls to mind the evocative poetics of Alanis Morissette while carving out a space uniquely its own.
The opening lines, “High trees so tall, a shadow in every crack / They look to follow and we won’t look back,” immediately paint an image of something both natural and ominous, figures towering over the narrators, evoking the weight of memory, of the past lingering in the margins. These shadows might represent past versions of the self, former iterations of relationships, or even societal expectations that loom but do not define. There is a quiet defiance in “we won’t look back,” a commitment to forward motion that is reinforced by the chorus’s mantra-like assertion: “Oh there’s something different between us / Oh it’s the type to build a structure strong.” This refrain carries the weight of realization—change has arrived, but it is not destruction; it is the kind of transformation that fortifies rather than erodes.
Then comes the cosmic shift, “Way way out into space / In the farthest reaches of our galaxy / A tiny piece of dust remembers where it came from / Somewhere between you and me.” The personal and the universal collapse into one another, the human experience echoed in the celestial. Here, Lost Chimes introduce a profound existential metaphor: the idea that no matter how far we travel, emotionally, physically, spiritually – there remains a tether, a memory of origin. The use of space as a metaphor for emotional distance is nothing new, but in the hands of Gemma and Nicky Kirk, it is imbued with a quiet urgency. The notion of a “tiny piece of dust” – insignificant, lost – gains profound importance; it remembers. It knows where it belongs.
The song’s vocal layering and choral repetitions create an ethereal yet grounded effect, as if the voices are searching for each other across the void. The repeated, almost pleading calls of “Can you hear me? Do you read me?” amplify the tension between presence and absence, communication and miscommunication. There is something deeply human in these words, a longing to be understood, a desperation to connect across the static. Whether this is an echo of lovers calling to each other, a soul seeking its counterpart, or a deeper commentary on our struggles to be truly heard, it is left beautifully open-ended.
Musically, Something Different thrives on its evolving layers. The spoken-word elements, woven seamlessly with the more traditional folk elements, lend the track a cinematic quality, while the ambient textures and reverberating vocals expand the sense of scale. The final stretch of the song is breathtaking—the arrangement swells with emotive keys and strings, lifting the listener into a moment of transcendence. Gemma Kirk’s voice soars here, carrying not just the weight of the lyrics but something greater, something wordless. It is the sound of transformation, of catharsis, of a tethered soul finally stretching beyond its bounds.
Lost Chimes have crafted a song that is both intimate and vast, a testament to their ability to bridge the deeply personal with the expansively universal. Something Different is not just a song about love or relationships, it is about the very nature of change itself. With its lush production, haunting vocal layers, and evocative lyricism, it invites listeners to dive into its depths and emerge altered, just as the song’s characters themselves have changed. This is a masterful offering from a band unafraid to push the boundaries of folk, dream pop, and indie alike, a glimpse into an album that promises to be nothing short of extraordinary. We have added the track to our New Music Spotlight playlist, as well as our TRIPPY and TIMELESS playlists, whilst we continue to stream the wider discography of Lost Chimes, including Island, and Love Will Tear Us Apart.