Navigating the world, somehow handling the way you experience things without ever realizing it’s not how most people experience everyday life. For many, it’s the realization that constant ringing in the ears is not normal, but there is a whole lot that alters the way how one behaves and feels about in daily life. It’s mental health and the hidden ailments it can be struck down with.
In the case of Gillian Rae Perry, the LA-based singer-songwriter has been living with a condition called depression with mixed features. This form comes with mood swings that go from one extreme all the way to the other. At the time of receiving that diagnosis, the artist decided to start collecting her experiences of living with a mental illness and combining them into what has now become her second studio album titled “Gillgil“.
The album, home to 10 songs and running for 40 minutes in total, became the vessel of self-understanding to the point of helping the artist feel like “I loved myself for the first time in my life”. And thus, the release is overall soft as a pile of pillows, but with heavy lyrics, particularly at the beginning where she unravels the hardships of living, not knowing you have a condition as you’re just trying to get started with the day.
Featuring hazy piano melodies and her soft singing voice, the album begins its journey with a song that’s changing channels, speeding up, then slowing down, sounding clear and then sinking into the haze. That was “A Day” eloquently describing what living with extreme mood-swings could feel like. That song then eases into a gentle “In My Head” handling the constant tug war with mental illness, and “Happening Again“, a darker and gloomier song with a bit claustrophobic echo, speaking about randomly falling into the darkness again. The following song, “Need Me“, holds deep sadness and sorrow for struggling.
The album takes a little turn with “Therapist“, a slightly wobbly song that highlights the realization that the struggles have a identified cause, and the song sways through the soaring wall of emotions. The path to self-acceptance and healing starts with “Any Sort of Way“, a comforting song of self-love, and continues with the emotional and reflective “Like This” and a gentle memory-filled “Dear Friend”.
The album ends with two hope-instilling songs, “A Reminder” to highlight how far she has come so far, and a dreamy hopeful “One Day“, an endearing song speaking of all the things she wishes to achieve, looking at the future no longer with dread, but with a feeling things are getting better.
“Gilligil” is out NOW.
Don’t forget to support this project and to follow on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, SoundCloud, and Spotify. You can also check out her official website. If you enjoy this music and are able to provide monetary support, you might consider downloading it on Bandcamp.
You can obviously find it in the following Playlists: Less Than 1,000 Followers, Fresh Singles, Indie Only, Alterindie State Of Mind, Female Rising Stars, Chill – Folk – Acoustic, 12 New Songs This Week, and Unknown But Essentials!.
P.S. If you enjoy discovering new artists and fresh new music you can subscribe to this blog Less Than 1,000 Followers and follow the Playlist with all the artists that we have presented here!!!
This coverage was created via MusoSoup #Sustainablecurator
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