Back in October, Dominican romantic Twin Shadow invited fans into a new era of musical earnestness with “Hollow Days,” a track framing poetic melancholy within the warm and nuanced sonic palette of his Caribbean homeland. With every subsequent single, George Lewis, Jr. has continued to redefine our expectations of Dominican musical styles, treating instruments and melodies as ingredients instead of unshakeable archetypes. Today, Twin Shadow unveils the latest chapter in his sonic odyssey with “Truly,” a song dealing with the “missteps and frustrations” of reliving romances past, all while showcasing the extensive breadth of his musical abilities.
Describing the song via press release, Twin Shadow explains that, “In Love, so many of us are nostalgists longing for the feelings of the first experiences, the first touch, the first site of joyful tears.” “Truly” focuses on this energy of remembrance, playing out as a series of snapshots from a powerful but defunct romance and reopening emotional wounds long since healed. “Marked by our history,” he adds, “We sometimes fall into the trap of wanting to recreate these feelings, wanting to be the first ‘everything’ for someone else.”
“Truly” is the latest preview of Twin Shadow’s forthcoming album, slated for release on August 28 via his record label Cheree Cheree. From a musical standpoint, the song is also one of Twin Shadow’s most ambitious productions to date, incorporating harp, orchestral strings, bachata guitar riffs, and a reggaeton beat into a mélange that walks the line between bombast and intimacy. With so much intriguing detail emerging in every new single, having to wait another six months for a complete album feels like an unfathomable task.
Stream the track below and check out a video preview: