What does it take to make truly remarkable music? With over 1,000 posts on this blog, it’s something I’m still can’t quantify exactly — no one can. That’s what makes this so rewarding. But I can say that for all of the insightful lyrics and ripping solos that have grace this site, only a tiny fraction of the artists I’ve featured have been able to accomplish what any artist wants: imparting an ineffable piece of their soul into their work.
Mylo Choy has proven, again and again, that they know just how to do that. First in their band of queer country educators Small Talk, and then again on last summer’s Delta, Choy carries a gentle, inexorable force into all of their music. “Tides,” which has a mesmerizing video below, exemplifies the primary themes of this three-song cassette (!!) and digital release.
With sparse instrumentation — guitar, and some strings — Choy’s lyrics are a plea for connection and understanding. Rather than singing from a place of isolation, Choy imbues their words with hope. From Choy’s perspective, change happens, but that change can either be a healthy break or a point of sorrow — depending on how you look at it. Choy seems to prefer that healthier option. Night Is Like the Ocean exemplifies that push-pull between the desire for stability and moving forward into the future, reminding us that change doesn’t need to bring.