Taken off her sophomore LP ‘Any Shape You Take’ (released a year ago this week), Indigo De Souza’s “Hold U” marks a new venture into indie rock – a cautious but exponentially expanding journey to a care-free celebration of queer love and togetherness.
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Stream: “Hold U” – Indigo De Souza
Taken off one year old sophomore LP Any Shape You Take, Indigo De Souza’s “Hold U” marks a new venture into indie rock: A cautious but exponentially expanding journey to a care-free celebration of queer love and togetherness.
You are a good thing I’ve noticed
I’ve noticed
And I want a good thing with you
You are the best thing, and I’ve got it, I’ve got you
And i would do anything for you
The electronic synths and soft kicks that mark the introduction are a stark shift from Indigo De Souza’s earlier works, which held her bass and guitars so clearly at the forefront your own calluses would shudder with anticipation. Adding in ’80s-reminiscent phasers pulls listeners back to the iconic era for queer celebration despite all odds. The pandemic has caused a similar, though not yet fully understood, shift in identity, with many utilizing their time to return to their foundational roots and determine what truly fulfills them.
De Souza opens the song with almost a whisper, testing the waters with this new revelation that’s so complex in its simplicity.
“You are a good thing I’ve noticed. And I want a good thing with you.” Regardless of the ever-shifting plane around us and the coat of uncertainty that holds us too close for comfort, De Souza has found solidity in her partner simply in their existence. The “what comes next” that dooms relationships at their conception is lost— intention is all that matters.
And I will hold you, I will hold you
I will hold you, I will hold you
It’s gonna be alright
It’s gonna be alright
Her signature guitar and biting drums return in the pre-chorus as the level of confidence shifts aptly in her tone. As the music surrounding her picks up, returning to the world she’s already occupied with a new perspective, she solidifies this new philosophy regarding love. Even if her old normal returns, the new De Souza proudly prevails.
You are a good thing, I’ve noticed, I’ve seen it
And I want the best things for you
I am a good thing and i promise you got me
And I would go anywhere for you
De Souza approaches the second verse with a full spirit, her former angst-fueled acoustic rhythms now fully interwoven with the patterned synths that emerged through the dance halls and ballroom scenes of the ’80s. Born in Asheville, North Carolina, De Souza has often expressed that she grew up feeling out of place and uncertain in her identity. She seems to be letting that all go here by choosing to let it blend with the rest of the background noise, rather than succumbing to the pressure of confronting all of these insecurities head on.
I’m not the only body
I’m not the only one
I’m not the only body
I’m not the only one
And I will hold you, I will hold you
I will hold you, I will hold you
And I will hold you, I will hold you
I will hold you, I will hold you
It’s gonna be alright
It’s gonna be alright
Here again De Souza tears those pressures of boundedness and celebrates the moment as it exists.
As she harmonizes, “It’s gonna be alright,” she seems to mean it here more than ever, and whether she’s speaking to us or herself, she’s clearly reached a breakthrough. The end of the second chorus is defined by almost a beautiful scream that transforms into a melodic battle cry, daring anyone to attempt to tear a crack into the new foundation she’s built. Indigo De Souza hasn’t quite transformed; instead she’s choosing to show the magnificent wings she’s always carried on her back.
Indigo De Souza’s sophomore album, Any Shape You Take, was officially released in August 2021.
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Stream: “Hold U” – Indigo De Souza
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