With everything going on in the world, our city, and our professional lives, we often turn to our home as a sanctuary. We consider the right furniture, plants, entertainment devices, and decor. But what really makes home, home, isn’t what is in our living space. It’s who.
Nashville artist Bantug hones in on this with new single “Our Apartment.” Woozy synths compliment snappy beats, mirroring a heady love-swoon followed by bursts of passion. Bantug says, “At first it can strike you as a more sensual song, so I try to bring it into a sweeter side in the chorus. The lyrics definitely allude to a more stereotypical kind of intimacy within a relationship, so evening it out in the chorus helped it to be not so one-dimensional.” It’s a stellar example of how effortlessly she adds a subtle touch when melding indie rock, R&B, and pop sounds.
“Our Apartment” is the lead single off of upcoming EP Red. While previous EP Blue was recorded at various times and locations, most of Red’s instruments were fittingly tracked in Bantug’s bedroom. She teamed up with Grayson Proctor of Biyo to produce the latest collection of songs. As a result, the subjects, locations, processes, and collaborations are all personal extensions of Bantug’s world. It’s like when a movie detective puts together a crime conspiracy map with red string, but the result here is far from nefarious. Red is set to be a personal examination of intimacy, paranoia, loneliness and frustration.
Born and raised in the suburbs of Atlanta, Bantug learned drums, guitar and bass before she was even a teenager. As a young adult, she made the move to Nashville where she found her creative community. Alongside Proctor, Bantug’s artistic circle is made up of people like photographer Kelsey Cherry, designer Jordan Short, photographer Wrenne Evans, Andy Moffett and blog favs Liza Anne, Jake McMullen and Caleb Groh. “Everyone is always so encouraging and inspiring, and makes me want to be better at my craft everyday,” Bantug says. “It’s nice to be in a place where my artistry isn’t ‘weird’ and mocked. It’s embraced and understood.”
Red is set for a spring 2018 release. For now, listen to “Our Apartment” below.
