Today, Los Angeles based artist, Jay Som, released the fourth single from her upcoming album, Belong. Much buzz as anticipation has built around this project as it is her first new album in over six years. Mic Drop is giving you the rundown down on the latest single and everything we know about the brand new record.
The Woman Behind The Music
Melina Duterte is the creative genius behind Jay Som. She’s a multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter and producer. In her almost decade long career, she’s been crafting and perfecting a sound unlike any other. The California native stands out amongst her peers because she records, produces and plays nearly every instrument. Jay Som’s music is often categorized as bedroom and dream pop as well as lofi indie rock. Her soft sounds and sweet vocals are soothing to the ears, painting a hazy soundscape for listeners. Every detail in every song is meticulously crafted while the producer crafts her albums. This has led to her working with a wide range of esteemed artists.
During the time spent between albums, Duterte immersed herself into her passion for production. While perfecting her craft for producing and engineering she worked closely with Boy Genius and Lucy Dacus. Duterte received producing credits on the Grammy winning Boy Genius album. She also toured with the band. In recent years, she’s collaborated with Troye Sivan and beabadoobee.
Jay Som’s new album Belong, she branches out of the practice of being a solo project, inviting other collaborators. The new album features contributions from Hayley Williams and Jed Adkins. This is the first time any of her projects have featured guest vocalists. She also collaborated with producers including Joao Gonzalez, Mal Hauser and Steph Marziano.
Exactly “What You Need”
The fourth single from Jay Som’s new record features collaborator Soft Glass. The stuttering rhythm and shimmering guitars spark up both a bright and melancholic energy. The track is dreamy but carries a heavy sentiment lyrically. Jay Som shines with her layered production to create yet another textured soundscape. Listeners can hear each detail come together to make “What You Need” the dreamy track it is.
“What You Need” follows three other singles, “Cards On The Table,” “Float,” and “A Million Reasons Why.” So far, the new album possesses a quiet energy demanding listeners to pay close attention to every single word. Duterte’s vocals lure you in until you find yourself living in the vibrant soundscape she has created with each track. Belong is shaping to be a promising project. The album has already received praise from NPR, The New York Times and Billboard.
Coming to a City Near You
Belong comes out in just under one month on October 10. Along with the album, Jay Som will be hitting the road on a headline tour. The tour kicks off in November starting in Amsterdam and runs through December concluding in Portland. Special guest Sea Lemon will be performing with Jay Som on select dates. Tickets are on sale now. Trust us, you will not want to miss this tour. Be sure to presave Belong on streaming before its release next month!
