There’s a general feeling of creeping unease in Sean Henry’s first single “The Ants,” off his upcoming album Fink. The way his voice worms around your ear as he describes the murder of insects on a mass scale is vivid and unsettling. The rustic production only amplifies this eerie feeling; whereas other lo-fi artists use the aesthetic to communicate intimacy, Henry’s crumpled vocals and the slight effects draped over the single create the feeling of being trapped in the traumatized dreams of a child. The chorus, however, breaks into an assured incantation that repeats the line “Goodbye, all of my problems”, and the guitars pick up to create a quiet catharsis. “The Ants” is self-described as “soft grunge”, and this carries over into the tone and sound in a multitude of ways. The dynamic crescendos are muted without losing their potency. The warbled verses that are anxious and freaky shed their childlike persona for a matured reawakening each time the chorus hits. It makes sense that Henry would take advantage of Friday the 13 to release his debut album; his sound is unnerving and captivating, balancing the lo-fi sounds that border on ugly and vulnerable. You can watch the music video for "The Ants" below and see him live on July 22 at Alphaville. – Tucker Pennington
