Ky J. Brandes creates indie-rock ear candy out of a small home studio in Nashville, TN. Brandes’ songwriting is earnest and vulnerable, featuring punchy melodic bass lines underneath layered guitars, luscious strings, and tight grooves. After two years of recording and rehearsing new material with a full live band, Brandes is tackling indie and folk-rock with an eclectic yet distinct musical palette and aesthetic. His debut album, Put Down, was released on October 1.
“Reaper on the Arm” is an early favorite from Brandes’ recently released debut, and begins to detail the emotional vulnerability that quickly separates the artist from the burgeoning folk scene. Rather than simply expressing complex emotions through moving rhyme schemes, the feelings explored throughout “Reaper on the Arm” are woven into every section of this song, creating a tunnel of rawness and prowess. The way Brandes’ vocals wrap around the warm, animated arrangement creates lo-fi textures that emphasize the nimble melodies delivered by the artist, with the subtle twang from the arrangement dancing in harmony with the soulful undertones of the vocal performance. “Reaper on the Arm” plays like a living testament to Brandes’s painstaking creative process, as the stand-out from Put Down smoothly pulsates with individuality.
