TRACES – Lonely Night
During this time when “quarantine” feels like the every other word we hear (or read), the inevitability of loneliness begins to settle in. Loneliness is no stranger, but its presence feels especially ominous in these times of COVID-19-induced uncertainty. Yet, minds of the likes of Sir Issac Newton and William Shakespeare accomplished greats feats during their prospective quarantines. Of course, you aren’t expected to discover new laws of physics or write the next Macbeth, but perhaps a few introspective moments in a darker than average season can lead to something personally groundbreaking.
Left-of-center pop artist TRACES teams up with rapper TYLERXCORDY in his first single of the decade, “Lonely Night.” Capturing one of those lonely spells of self-reflection, “Lonely Night” was inspired by a personal, private moment of vulnerability for TRACES. When reflecting on the night he wrote the song he shared,
“I wrote ‘Lonely Night’ in the middle of a really hard year for me. One late night I was home alone, messing around on the piano and started putting down some lyrics and melodies. I felt a sort of vulnerability and honesty in the moment, a kind of willingness to get out behind what I had been covering up for a while. The first few lyrics of the song say that tomorrow, I might put on my mask and crooked smile, but for right now I am admitting that I’m not in a great place.”
A slow-burning, R&B infused ballad, “Lonely Night” showcases TRACES knack for composition. Beautifully haunting, the melody builds upon and reinterprets itself, flowering into the distorted chorus as he muses, “It’s just been a lonely night / I’ll be fine / It just takes time / All is alright / Honest / It’s just been a lonely night / I’ll be fine / Fall in my pride / Show a disguise / Honest.”
Though still drawing on the soundscape previously established in the project, “Lonely Night” represents a sort of sonic shift for TRACES, in contrast with his previous releases. Self-produced, he leans heavily into lofi beats, manipulated sounds and an emotive, jazz-inspired piano line, the ideal foundation to display his gentle, honeyed vocals. TYLERXCORDY expands on the solitary concept, bringing his own perspective, as he broods over those dark feelings, saved exclusively for a lonely night.