New Music: Brent de la Cruz – Smithereens

As visually stunning as the official video for Smithereens may be, it still doesn’t outshine the slinky, summery but ultimately shocking sound of Brent de la Cruz’s latest single.

The tranquilly of the song—born in large part from the chilled brass, analogue vibes to the organ, and the blue-eyed soul of de la Cruz’s vocals—doesn’t prepare you for the lyrical sucker punch that floors you right at the end. What hits even harder is how it’s set in such bucolic tones, even though you’ve heard those killer lyrics already.

It’s as if he sets out to lull us into a false sense of security, creating a familiar sound that many of us associate with good times and better memories, before whipping that away from us when we least expect it. That works because the song is so good and his performance so entrancing that you find yourself suddenly vulnerable to what transpires.

Smithereens can be streamed on SoundCloud and Spotify. For more listening and download options, follow Brent de la Cruz on Instagram.  

Header photo by Nick Mora