North Carolina based lo-fi duo Library Baby release their third single “5:07am (No)” from upcoming album Signs & Clues, due out later this year.
Having established a soundscape of experimental, stripped back and simplistically beautiful tracks, Library Baby follow from the haunting and tender “Dewy” with a new single, “5:07am (No).” Much like the predecessor, Sarah Royal and Justin Lacy‘s track is one that grows in momentum.
Starting with some sparse and precisely strummed guitars and Royals muted vocals, “5:07am (No)” still manages to seep with power. This is in part due to the decisive and upfront vocals, as the opening goes “When I say for you to go, it means go, don’t take it as a stay.”
This contrast between the sweet vocal work and the rather frank lyrics comes as a delight to the ears. Musically, this same dichotomy plays out. The tender guitars create a sense of stillness and comfort, yet the addition of the bass clarinet (courtesy of Laura York) and the rhythmic drums (Jon Hill) gift the track a sense of foreboding, resonating outwards.
Whilst this is unsurprising from Library Baby – “How I Say My Name” possesses a similar ominous yet oddly tender aura – the sweeping bass clarinet adds a surprising and unsettling depth to the track.
“5:07am (No)” is ultimately though, a track about standing your ground, knowing you boundaries and sticking to them resolutely and whether that sounds unsettling or not, that’s fucking badass.
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