Singer-songwriter Em Spel premieres her new single “The Tide” as a second preview of her upcoming album ‘Bird or Snake’. Following the release of “Geographic” last month, this new track highlights the warm vocals and imaginative arrangements of artist Emma Hospelhorn. The song combines original vocal harmonies with elegant instrumental parts and subtle electronic textures. Hospelhorn wrote, composed, and produced all the material on the record independently. This collection of music presents a fully realized artistic vision that balances intimacy with technical sophistication.
The artist developed the track “The Tide” by blending her varied musical backgrounds in classical, punk, and free jazz. The song began as a simple skeleton featuring Hospelhorn on guitar and Eric Ridder on drums. Collaborators Katie Ernst, Dustin Laurenzi, and Mabel Kwan added bass, saxophone, and synthesizers to the recording. Hospelhorn also utilized a Korg Little Bits synth to generate specific electronic sounds throughout the piece. Mixing engineer Brian Deck finalized the track to manage the diverse range of sonic elements.
‘Bird or Snake’ serves as a joyful amalgamation of art-folk and indie rock. Hospelhorn drew upon her experience as a flutist in the avant-classical group Ensemble Dal Niente to inform her multi-instrumental approach. She wrote many of the songs in 2022 during a residency with the Eastern Frontier Foundation on Norton Island in Maine. A period of recovery from illness in 2024 allowed her to revisit these compositions with a new perspective on the peculiarities of life. This relaxed approach to the final recording process helped the artist determine exactly what each track required.
The resulting record showcases an artist finding new ways to thrive through creative exploration. Her work frequently references nature, the environment, and the sea to create a sense of liveliness and warmth. Hospelhorn successfully captures a specific sonic environment that feels both experimental and grounded. ‘Bird or Snake’ stands as a highly inspirational work within the contemporary indie landscape.