San Francisco’s own Wisp kicks off with a melancholy-sweet offering, “Sword,” a single that shimmers and slices with emotional precision and purpose. Produced by a trio of Stint, aldn, and Gabe Greenland, “Sword” sounds like it was conjured up during fog-saturated city nights and late-night love heartbreaks. It’s a gauzy shoegaze ballad folded into layers of distortion, ambient textures, and Wisp’s angelic vocals, floating between memory and melancholy.
A sharp emotional undercurrent exists underneath the song’s dreamy sheen. “Sword,” as Wisp describes, is about the shame and confusion when someone you love decides to keep you a secret, the hidden heartbreak of being kept in the dark when you deserve the stage. It’s a sentiment that many can identify with, particularly in a world where visibility equals validation.
Lyrically, it doesn’t make much noise, whispering truths that usually get swallowed. And that’s what makes it hurt so much more. The contrast of Wisp’s voice, drenched in vulnerability, over the swelling instrumental production creates an intimate dynamic. The track was written by Ajay Bhattacharyya, Alden Gardner Robinson, Gabriel Greenland, Maximilian Epstein, and Natalie R Lu, a combination that brought the best of Wisp’s signature sound. There’s a cautious balance between raw honesty and beauty that never leans too hard either way. It anchors you and makes you feel something.
Valerie Dziatko and Rudy Grazziani also released a gorgeous music video for the song. Similar to the song itself, the visuals can lean into surreal isolation and aching self-reflection, perfectly aligning with the themes of emotional erasure and quiet resilience. “Sword” reflects anyone who’s ever been dulled by another person’s failure to love them out loud. With this release, Wisp’s set the bar high, emotionally and artistically.
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