In these trying times wherein every club and bar this side of the Hudson is shuttered indefinitely, we need a bop, a slapper, a two-step inducing jam to keep the party-in-place going. Thankfully, a champion emerges in the form of producer-songwriter-multihpyhenate Tatum Gale, whose new track “Joanna” provides the necessary downtempo vibe for a socially responsible indoor kickback. Vocalist Laura Jinn takes centerstage, with a sultry performance unraveling an indoor tale of unrequited love, soft-spoken both in its narrative and supporting production; shimmering keys and a chilled percussive beat make for a hazy instrumental that evokes feelings past, consistently minimalist yet always present and grooving. Reminiscent of the scaled-back atmospheric instrumentals heard on Yaeji’s EP2 and the progressive, dance-forward chillstep of Toro y Moi, it’s required listening for those among us with restless feet, seeking some necessary motion-inducing music — stream our premiere below, and keep an eye out for Gale’s sophomore EP Both dropping May 1st.
