For fans of Fleet Foxes, Underscores, Hooky, 90s alternative singer-songwriter, and the twisted coziness of melancholy, Autosmile by @ ties lightweight aesthetics to some of the darkest lyrical themes imaginable, forcing us face-to-face with the many ways we’ve made ourselves comfortable in our own misery. Contemplations on the frailty of life arrive on the soaring wings of folky, harmonized vocals and deceptively whimsical chamber instrumentals. Through the Trojan horse of familiar, soft, and almost maternally soothing aesthetics, we reach new levels of acceptance for some of the core tensions of our subconscious, addressing interpersonal struggle and existential dread with the plush embrace of a teddy bear. From here, we’re left to decide whether this integration of trauma into our comfort zone should remain standing, as this album tugs at our internal contradictions until all our most unseen coping mechanisms burst at the seams.
