Lose Yourself in Drowse’s ‘Memory’

Kyle Bates is the mastermind behind Portland, Ore., shoegaze project Drowse. He's been putting out incredibly lush and dreamy material for the past few years, conjuring a richly emotive sound that befits a deep dive. Today, he's premiering the new video for "Memory," one of the tracks off the Memory Bed EP (The Native Sound). The music trades reverb for bare instrumentals; it's easy to lose yourself in the light acoustic guitar. He's accompanied by Maya Stoner of Sabonis, who adds another beautiful vocal texture. The song is immaculate, illustrating that strides can be made in the genre with the barest of tools.

Of the song, Bates says:

The video for ‘Memory’ explores the dissociated relationship between lucid daily life and our more abstract internal experiences: desires, dreams and memories. These personal states of thought live in the back of our head as we go about our routines. They form the surreal (beneath or south of ordinary reality) foundation of our days. When I wake, my face warm with sunlight, the tangible day’s demands flash through my head, but I remain close to my inner self. As the day grows thicker, my inner self is pushed further back, but still manages to find spaces to swirl around.

You can order your copy of Memory Bed from The Native Sound.