Opening with celestial piano chords and a weightless vocal, 140 initially occupies a dream-like space, free from the bounds of earth’s gravitational field. A low slung analogue synth styled bass line comes in during the second minute, and the contrast introduced by the song’s percussion and bass gives Divorce Court’s new single an even more orbital feeling.
The use of synths and reverb here reminds me of the work of Com Truise. Rather than embracing the straight lines of electronics, however, here the sound is blended with the kind of dream pop vibes more commonly found in the work of Washed Out, Toro y Moi and Tame Impala.
Divorce Court is the artistic vision of musician Lynden Williams, and 140 is the first single to be lifted from his forthcoming record Two Hours. According to Williams, the album “is about beginning to heal my inner child through my journey with psychedelics and therapy, without directly saying those things.”
The inner child feels like a theme reflected in 140’s music video too, which depicts Williams surrounded by children, who ultimate cover him in face paint as he belts out the song’s closing climatic chorus. It is a visual that reflects the emotional experience of being separate and isolated from the world around you — absorbed in your internal thoughts and feelings.
All in all, 140 has a healing beauty to it. Check out the video below, and look out for Two Hours, set for release on 8 July 2023.