Having grown up in the City of Brotherly Love, I have a soft spot for my Philly compatriots. Contrary to popular belief, Philadelphia churns out more than just cheesesteaks and agonizingly disappointing sports teams—it also holds home to a bevy of incredible musical talent. Enter Marian Hill, the red-hot songwriting and production duo who just announced their forthcoming EP, was it not.
In addition to the announcement of was it not, which is releasing on March 18th, 2020, Marian Hill also unveiled its eponymous lead single along with a spellbinding music video, which EARMILK has the pleasure of premiering today. The track follows the same seductive formula as "Down," the pair's breakthrough 2017 single that propelled them to the forefront of a sultry, brooding post-pop landscape led by artists like Billie Eilish, whose single "Bellyache" was remixed by Marian Hill to the tune of over 68M Spotify streams. However, while "was it not" features their signature vocal chop style, it is much more minimalistic in its sound design, which illuminates its incredibly nuanced production. The song's hypnotic soundscapes, which subtly intertwine airy plucks and distorted kick-drums, are mirrored brilliantly in its accompanying music video.
In a press release issued for "was it not," Marian Hill's Jeremy Lloyd described its inspiration and the depth of its lyrics. "'Was It Not' is a song we've wanted to make for a long time. It pulls deeply from the jazz influences we started from – it sounds like a dark, smokey club and the vocal slices through that texture like butter,” he explains. "It's about considering a relationship from long ago – remembering how we were so in love, and that person was everything to us, only now when we think about that one time…was that moment them? Or are we mixing it up with another fragment from our past? It's about feeling a yearning for what once was, but only for a second, because you remember why you left it in the past, and who you are now. It lives in a strange emotional in-between and we love it. A lot."
In addition to the EP, Marian Hill also announced an upcoming tour, which you can purchase tickets to here.
