By splicing artificial sounds with organic instrumentation, samples and field recordings, Douwstra explores one of life’s bigger emotional beats: how to reconcile a yearning for both solitude and companionship, a quandary the world of today is suddenly coping with on a massive scale. Within that tricky balance, Tessa finds solace in small, bemused observations she can clutch onto like cherished mementos.
‘Airport’ explores the crossroads of a relationship, playfully using a quote from Esther Perel – creator of the podcast Where Should We Begin – as a sample. “I feel like (Perel) is providing my generation with words on how to talk about these subjects. It feels like romanticism and relationships are being redefined at the moment and I find it interesting to listen to these ideas and think about them.”
Ultimately, Luwten’s songs evoke the feeling of an unspoken understanding with someone very close to you: to instinctively know when things can remain unresolved, when they can’t and when it’s okay to let the noise of the world run its course.