LISTEN: Joel Porter Paints Vibrant Rhythmic Landscapes On “Little Tooth”

As if sonically picking up where Sufjan Stevens’ Carrie and Lowell left off, Joel Porter’s latest single “Little Tooth” comes in as a whisper that slyly demands an increasing amount of attention as it evolves until it becomes the loudest and most compelling voice in the room. Syncopated samples create a vibrant rhythmic landscape that’s seemingly forever evolving under the uncomplicated but effective melody and choir-like background vocals. 

“‘Little Tooth’ is about noticing the people in my life change, age, and grow into new life with a certain grace and effortlessness while I flail and struggle with feeling seemingly the same as I’ve always been. I got the idea because I still have one of my baby teeth… still attached and functioning. It feels like a small piece of my youth, of days that are long gone, trying to hold on and keep things how they were… keeping me how I was. I know you can’t go back… but for some reason I’m having trouble transitioning… and maybe, just maybe, if I can pull this tooth, let go of this last little piece of my childhood… I can move on too. ‘Little Tooth’ is both a recognition of that concept and a cry for help due to a fear of being left behind.”