AFTYN, Cool Girl
Independent
The latest from AFTYN is a track of magnitude, first and foremost. Cool Girl spans a theme at the front of the mind of any female musicians: discussing and dissecting the struggles of navigating a scene built on women dulling down those very struggles in lieu of being a ‘cool girl’, taking the jokes, and accepting things the way they are. And the way that AFTYN delivers the narrative couldn’t be more stunning.
Cool Girl is AFTYN (aka the duo of Guinnevere Philip and Chris Maher)’s first single of the year, following up last year’s dreamy EPs, and sees their sound take a turn for the stars. Having established their gorgeous folky sound, the majority of AFTYN’s back catalogue is of the earthier, richer variety, packed with acoustic melodies and soulful vocals. But now, Philip’s always-evocative delivery begins to absolutely soar in ways that are hinted at on last single All I Wanted, but really feel like they fit on her impassioned delivery of Cool Girl. Slow and steady and heart-wrenching, she seems to succumb as much as fighting back, embodying the choice many women must make – be ‘difficult’ or be quiet.
The New Jersey duo are taking steps out of the earthy folk vibes and into the stratospheric potential of the genre, when combined with denser instrumentals and more of the other soundscapes they can pull out of their seventies influences. It’s formidable and a fitting accompaniment to the rawness of their subject matter.
Cool Girl is out now.
