California-based musician Zachary Elsasser aka Affectionately flew onto our radar last month with his dreampop pearl “then you came along”. Today we have the pleasure of bringing you his new song “i spend so much time in my room”, which is the title track from his forthcoming debut album. Where the previous single revelled in the joy of love, “i spend so much time in my room” is almost the inverse, with Elsasser explaining:
“When I was going to college and was touring, I isolated myself from all my friends. I felt like I needed space for my constant anxiety, and honestly, it stunted me. It is honestly so comfortable and secure to be in your own space, but my experience informed me that I kind of regret not challenging myself. Maybe it’s not a life altering regret, but for me, spending all my time in my room only made me think of how I longed to be out there with everyone else. I know it’s possible, but there’s only so much you can do by yourself. I love my friends and I love my family, so this song is kind of promise to be all I can be.”
Appropriately, “i spend so much time in my room” is a slower-paced jam, the bass in particular underpinning it with lumpen determination. Elsasser’s vocals are wistful, almost sighing while singing, but the charm of the production ensures that we sympathise with him. His washed-out guitars paint a picture of a cosy, lived-in world, where sunlight claws at the edges of the blinds, trying to invade and bring a little lightness. Affectionately, even in this defeated state, gives us a lucid vision of true human emotion, and “i spend so much time in my room” paints a fully-rounded picture of this individual who’s going through a tough time, but whom we know is full of life and hope. Ultimately, the warm-hued “i spend so much time in my room” just makes us want to sit down next to him on his bed and talk it out for a while, before we go out into the sunshine together and start enjoying life again.
Affectionately’s debut album i spend most of my time in my room comes out June 5 on Fear Of Missing Out Records. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Bandcamp.
