I’m back on another melancholic kick. It happens sometimes. Life gets a little harder than usual, my body more tired, my patience shorter, and I need something to keep me grounded. Usually, some good shoe-gaze does just the trick. This time, Brooklyn-based Stella in the Clouds gave me the perfect does of what I need.

“Slow Down” may beachy and dreamy, but it’s equally hopeful and comforting. It’s jam-packed with all those good floating “wub-wubs” that help me drift when I lay awake in the wee hours of the morning. Her vocals are soft and reassuring — “Imogen Heap-esque.” It all comes together to capture that feeling where nothing, and everything, is right in the world. That moment when I’m unsure if I can go on another second, but know that soon everything will be better. I’ll wake up in the morning, rub the grit from my eyes, put on coffee, and start a brighter day. It’s a feeling I’m sure many “artistic-types” are overwhelmingly familiar with.

Hear it below:

Wm