When Misty Mtn first set out to record a trilogy of songs commemorating life's changes, the biggest monster they could possibly imagine facing was the one inside their own heads. And while the world's current circumstances challenge that notion, there is a compelling novelty to it all the same. Ever the resilient pair, they return with the introspective "Robots in the Trees", an unhinged glimpse into the complications of growing up and finding the courage to face your own demons.
As the song's title suggests, "Robots in the Trees" addresses many fears, including technophobia, as a more contemporary companion to the Rockwell classic. You won't find many eclectic hooks or falsetto chorus lines, but instead, a gentle lulling hum and a big thumping drum. The duo's aesthetic has always been steeped in the darker corners of their production, finding the balance between melancholy and dreamy in a calculated manner. And while this single is no different, Segall digs himself little trenches of sounds—chirping marimba effects and resounding claps—to break the wave of heavy percussions, and let Trunzo's cherubic vocals float through with soothing grace.
Though "Robots in the Trees" culminates their three-part ode to the fickle pains of growing up, it feels more like an introduction than as closing remarks. Slowly but surely, we've seen the duo start to open up and challenge themselves over the course of the past three releases—both lyrically and sonically. And while there is no forthcoming EP or album on the way, it feels like Misty Mtn have only just finished saying their hellos, and if I'm being honest, that's exactly where they had me.
