Ben Harris
Sexy and sinister four track tape with a genuinely sad yet inspirational backstory. I'm certainly glad Caitlin Rae released these songs! I sincerely hope she's staying safe and sane
Favorite track: Gem1n1 Sun//Gem1n1 Moon.
The sophomore EP, Sometimes It Feels Like Chains, from Los Angeles' Live For You is a beautiful album, but one with a bittersweet story behind it. This extended play collection of cold waves was composed by lovers and newlyweds Caitlin Rae and Eddie Wuebben. Eddie passed away on October 6th, 2019, and his time came far too quickly and tragically.
"My life was instantly destroyed on that day. I couldn't even begin to listen to music, let alone think about the music we made together" Caitlin Rae recalls.
Following her own personal struggles and dealing with the loss of her loved one, she began to seek help. After some time to settle with her feelings, she found the strength to revisit these deeply personal recordings - which, thankfully, lead to the decision to share this in honour of Eddie’s life.
"Making music was our joint passion. Most nights, Eddie would stay up meticulously crafting beats, sequences and compositions. In the morning, he would wake me and help me get in the zone for tracking vocals. He always laughed at my aggressive tendencies with the mic. Most of the time I would just freestyle the lyrics. I had a lot to say, and I felt safe saying it around him. I would offer a few chords and a melody and within hours he would have an entire track completed. He really encouraged me to lose the soft, dreamy voice I had been used to singing with and helped me find a voice and style that I was passionate about, I felt like it was my own. I could express myself and he made that happen for me. He liked to encapsulate feelings and would transform them into droney, frantic music. He strived to make music that genuinely made people feel something; sadness or excitement, it didn't matter. Our rule when recording together was to never leave the same room, I guess we just liked being around one another and inspired each other," Caitlin Rae shared.
You can clearly hear the electrical connection between the pair, one that pays tribute to early Industrial Music as well as EBM and Minimal Electronics popularized in Britain in the early '80s. Each track offers different overtones, harmonic structures and the talented attitude in a strong female voice. Warm and biological, yet icy cold and at times, dissonant.
"These songs are very much Eddie and my ideas, intertwined with one another. He was pivotal in helping me write lyrics when I was stuck and able to coax raw vulnerable emotion out of me. It was freeing, saying what I wanted - thrashing around our bedroom," says Caitlin.
The raw vulnerability can be heard throughout the entire extended play, due out on popnihil this month. Caitlin Rae was sure to express her excitement for Eddie’s Mother, Lisa - his twin brother, Joey and his sister Kristina to hear these final songs, which was a gateway into his world in his final months.
"Music is how we fell in love and I feel excited to put out these songs that brought us so close together"
Sometimes It Feels Like Chains is available on cassette from popnihil and digital platforms Spotify and Itunes, in August.
- Anon
Cellist & vocalist Mia Pixley delivers a rich, emotive record with stirring vocal melodies & gorgeous strings for a riveting final product. Bandcamp New & Notable Jul 26, 2021
supported by 24 fans who also own “Sometimes It Feels Like Chains”
Stunning album and artist. Dark love. The best dark vibes in genre. I prefer the first works because they are darker than the last. We're waiting for her come back. Get well soon. raulmori