Following on from last month’s single, Buckshot, 19-year-old Missouri artist Willoh is back with another new single, Ouchie.
Buckshot was a piece on the nature of finding acceptance and giving yourself permission to let go and move on. Wrapped in broken beats and layered vocals, it was introspective and a little resigned. In contrast, Ouchie is more clear eyed, and whilst Willoh continues to leverage overdubbed vocals to great effect, here they have a greater level of processing. Processed vocals can often rob a song of some of its humanity and emotion, but the application on Ouchie is handled delicately. The result is insistent but still human and, as Willoh wrestles with whether to fight or give up, she has a building determination in those vocals.
The tension at play in Ouchie’s slow-moving instrumentation, but assertive vocal performance reflects Willoh’s desire to capture the feeling of holding things in until you can’t any more. She describes the song as ‘the breaking point that comes when you can’t anymore. It’s the sound of that explosion.’
Check out Ouchie below: