Indigo De Souza’s “Real Pain” is a shared pool of the unraveling of the human experience dressed in a relaxed, alternative attire. Rooted in confrontational truths and paralyzing lines regarding pain, the nearing 5-minute track leans on the full range of “going through the motions.”
The experimental cut acts as the latest from the artist’s forthcoming album, Any Shape You Take, not only being De Souza’s Saddle Creek debut, but also the first full-length the artist produces.
Down to the bone, De Souza paints our shared connection unapologetically. Its immediate angst-pop enters softly and grows, almost aging in real time. The reassuring delivery heard in the first half of the track is a crucial element to the artist’s portrayal of “facing grief and loss” — as everyone is different — but more importantly teaching compassion for yourself.
“It’s about learning to be unafraid of experiencing a full spectrum of emotion, and welcoming the way it teaches you and changes you,” says De Souza.
And as the collected part logically kicks off the track, its middle falls apart at the seams, but with a directed poise. De Souza crafts interdimensional change-ups and caterwauling echo chambers of fans “screams, yells and anything else” for a moment of simply being real. The audio bits of distress are as liberating for the listener, assumingly as well, for the individual. It’s a striking exploration and personification of a storm-filled mind, heart, and soul which eventually finds the space to breathe as it once did.
“For one of the sections in the song, I put out an invitation for people to anonymously send me voice memos of ‘screams, yells, and anything else’.
Photo: Charlie Boss
“I layered the voices on top of one another to embody a kind of collective experience. I felt an incredible catharsis hearing their voices stacked with mine. While we live such separate lives, we are connected in the way that we all navigate immense amounts of pain and love and fear in our bodies every day. It can be hard to be a person! It’s okay to acknowledge that sometimes. It’s okay to feel things fully and to allow others space to do the same.”
Any Shape You Take is out on August 27 via Saddle Creek.
TOUR DATES Aug 26 – The Grey Eagle – Asheville, NC Aug 27 – The Grey Eagle – Asheville, NC – SOLD OUT Aug 28 – Cat’s Cradle – Carrboro, NC Aug 29 – The Masquerade – Atlanta, GA Sep 21 – Songbyrd – Washington DC – SOLD OUT Sep 22 – PhilaMOCA – Philadelphia, PA – SOLD OUT Sep 24 – Elsewhere Zone 1 – Brooklyn, NY – SOLD OUT Sep 25 – Baby’s All Right – Brooklyn, NY – SOLD OUT Sep 26 – Brighton Music Hall – Boston, MA Sep 28 – Big Room Bar – Columbus, OH Sep 29 – Beat Kitchen – Chicago, IL Sep 30 – Beat Kitchen – Chicago, IL – SOLD OUT Oct 01 – 7th Street Entry – Minneapolis, MN Oct 02 – Slowdown JR – Omaha, NE Oct 04 – Globe Hall – Denver, CO Oct 08 – Polaris Hall – Portland, OR Oct 09 – Vera – Seattle, WA Oct 11 – Bottom of the Hill – San Francisco, CA Oct 13 – Voodoo – San Diego, CA Oct 14 – Constellation Room – Santa Ana, CA Oct 15 – The Regent – Los Angeles, CA Oct 16 – Rebel Lounge – Phoenix, AZ Oct 20 – Ruins – Dallas, TX Oct 23 – Mohawk (Indoors) – Austin, TX Oct 24 – White Oak Music Hall (Upstairs) – Houston, TX
8/26 with Ex Gold and DJ Ohh No Honey 8/27 with Truth Club and DJ Ohh No Honey 8/28-8/29 with Truth Club 9/21 – 9/26 with Horse Jumper of Love 9/28 with The Ophelias 9/29 – 10/1 with Dan Wriggins (of Friendship) 10/2 – 10/24 with The Slaps
Girl Underground Music 
Indigo De Souza’s “Real Pain” is a shared pool of the unraveling of the human experience dressed in a relaxed, alternative attire. Rooted in confrontational truths and paralyzing lines regarding pain, the nearing 5-minute track leans on the full range of “going through the motions.”
The experimental cut acts as the latest from the artist’s forthcoming album, Any Shape You Take, not only being De Souza’s Saddle Creek debut, but also the first full-length the artist produces.
Down to the bone, De Souza paints our shared connection unapologetically. Its immediate angst-pop enters softly and grows, almost aging in real time. The reassuring delivery heard in the first half of the track is a crucial element to the artist’s portrayal of “facing grief and loss” — as everyone is different — but more importantly teaching compassion for yourself.
“It’s about learning to be unafraid of experiencing a full spectrum of emotion, and welcoming the way it teaches you and changes you,” says De Souza.
And as the collected part logically kicks off the track, its middle falls apart at the seams, but with a directed poise. De Souza crafts interdimensional change-ups and caterwauling echo chambers of fans “screams, yells and anything else” for a moment of simply being real. The audio bits of distress are as liberating for the listener, assumingly as well, for the individual. It’s a striking exploration and personification of a storm-filled mind, heart, and soul which eventually finds the space to breathe as it once did.
“For one of the sections in the song, I put out an invitation for people to anonymously send me voice memos of ‘screams, yells, and anything else’.
“I layered the voices on top of one another to embody a kind of collective experience. I felt an incredible catharsis hearing their voices stacked with mine. While we live such separate lives, we are connected in the way that we all navigate immense amounts of pain and love and fear in our bodies every day. It can be hard to be a person! It’s okay to acknowledge that sometimes. It’s okay to feel things fully and to allow others space to do the same.”
Any Shape You Take is out on August 27 via Saddle Creek.
Connect with the artist: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
TOUR DATES
Aug 26 – The Grey Eagle – Asheville, NC
Aug 27 – The Grey Eagle – Asheville, NC – SOLD OUT
Aug 28 – Cat’s Cradle – Carrboro, NC
Aug 29 – The Masquerade – Atlanta, GA
Sep 21 – Songbyrd – Washington DC – SOLD OUT
Sep 22 – PhilaMOCA – Philadelphia, PA – SOLD OUT
Sep 24 – Elsewhere Zone 1 – Brooklyn, NY – SOLD OUT
Sep 25 – Baby’s All Right – Brooklyn, NY – SOLD OUT
Sep 26 – Brighton Music Hall – Boston, MA
Sep 28 – Big Room Bar – Columbus, OH
Sep 29 – Beat Kitchen – Chicago, IL
Sep 30 – Beat Kitchen – Chicago, IL – SOLD OUT
Oct 01 – 7th Street Entry – Minneapolis, MN
Oct 02 – Slowdown JR – Omaha, NE
Oct 04 – Globe Hall – Denver, CO
Oct 08 – Polaris Hall – Portland, OR
Oct 09 – Vera – Seattle, WA
Oct 11 – Bottom of the Hill – San Francisco, CA
Oct 13 – Voodoo – San Diego, CA
Oct 14 – Constellation Room – Santa Ana, CA
Oct 15 – The Regent – Los Angeles, CA
Oct 16 – Rebel Lounge – Phoenix, AZ
Oct 20 – Ruins – Dallas, TX
Oct 23 – Mohawk (Indoors) – Austin, TX
Oct 24 – White Oak Music Hall (Upstairs) – Houston, TX
8/26 with Ex Gold and DJ Ohh No Honey
8/27 with Truth Club and DJ Ohh No Honey
8/28-8/29 with Truth Club
9/21 – 9/26 with Horse Jumper of Love
9/28 with The Ophelias
9/29 – 10/1 with Dan Wriggins (of Friendship)
10/2 – 10/24 with The Slaps
Cover photo: Charlie Boss
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