“Happy-sad” wouldn’t normally be the go-to description for Keanan Eksteen’s sound. The charismatic singer has often matched big drums, growling vocals and guitar heavy melodies to deliver classic rock tunes made for fist-pumping and thigh-slapping.
His latest offering, “Myself”, will still pull you out of your chair but with a more contained high. Laden in soft synths, brooding vocals and teasingly introspective lyrics, Eksteen dips his toes into a sob-rock genre he’s yet to explore, crafting a slow-burn anthem.
Although the pulse of the song is in the ‘80s-ish drum and bassline combo, the lyrics do the heavy-lifting highlighting the ugliest possible part of a relationship: when it ends but no one’s ready to admit it.
“Words you don’t believe ‘cause you don’t really want the help”, sings Eksteenbefore following a little later with the hook of the chorus: “What I hate to say, is I love the pain”. It’s a little defiance in the face of a breakdown that brings the song home and is light-heartedly depicted in the accompanying music video.
Feature pic by Brett Field
