by emma schoors
photo by abbie pitre
“Surface Tension” by Genevieve Stokes is a melancholy tune that cuts right to the heart.
“It’s all on the surface, it don’t hurt anymore,” Stokes sings repeatedly, in a sort of cleansing chant. This is a common theme in the track. Though the lyrics reflect a genuine struggle, everything about it feels gorgeously simple. In keeping with this lyricism, Stokes sings, “Am I the perfect picture that you wanted before?” Though the vocals are calm and crisp, this is undoubtedly a song you can scream to. Echoey guitars and percussion help deepen and build up the sound during the second verse, but the bones of the song are enough to make it magical.
Putting visuals to a song can help listeners with the overall intended message of a song, and the accompanying music video for “Surface Tension” does just that. With an emphasis on fluidity and the beauty of nature, there’s a dark and weary element to the video, but it’s beautiful and sensical all the same.
Genevieve Stokes has a distinct talent for writing gut-wrenching songs, and “Surface Tension” is worth its weight in gold.