Premiere: TEME’s Haunting Song “PRLYSD” Manifests Intimate Grief

TEME © Bo Morgan
TEME © Bo Morgan
Raw and hauntingly intimate, UK duo TEME’s song “PRLYSD” dives into the heart of grief through an achingly pained performance studded with ethereal electronics and soaring vocals.
Stream: “PRLYSD” – TEME
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Fair warning to all who listen: This song is not for the faint of heart. There are moments for laughing and moments for crying; TEME’s latest single “PRLYSD” paints a moment of pure devastation; of despair manifest. Raw and intimately vulnerable, “PRLYSD” dives into the heart of grief through an achingly pained performance studded with ethereal electronics and haunting, soaring vocals.

Lunar - TEME
Lunar – TEME
In sum,
Grief on porcelain floor,
that I know
Paralysed i wake up, red wall
And now I carry you with scars up
And it shows
Price me as one,
You pull me up just like a cover
And blood flows

Atwood Magazine is proud to be premiering “PRYLSD,” the latest single off TEME’s forthcoming third EP, Lunar (out February 28, 2020). Following last summer’s Solar EP, Lunar is a stormy, emotionally-driven affair full of fragile instrumental performances and dark, haunting atmospheres. Atop all that, the EP’s song lyrics emanate pain and hurt. The EP’s lad single, “HVN,” immerses its audience in a tearjerking portrayal of addiction and dependence: “oil me down, I won’t fight anymore,” sings TEME’s hauntingly bittersweet vocalist. “… Hold me, I don’t know why it hurts; I won’t speak a word. Is the shaking up?

“PRLYSD” follows in kind, another haunting and ethereal musical experience shrouded in darkness and pain.

I carry all your old shame
So high, I wouldn’t know
Why don’t I matter
It doesn’t follow
It doesn’t matter anymore
And everyday I wake up in
The colour of the blame held in
You know you take it often, you’re low again
And every day I wake up in
The colour of the blame held in
You know you take it often, you’re low again
TEME © Bo Morgan
TEME © Bo Morgan



“‘PRLYSD’ chronicles the nadir of an intoxicating relationship,” TEME tell Atwood Magazine. “It is filled with painful memories, set against an almost dreamlike soundscape the builds in intensity. ‘Grief on porcelain floor’ sets the tone for the lyrics which jut out and pierce the listener’s attention, just as the memories of this tragic time did for the songwriters. There is a subversive quality to this song, taking the listener on a journey they might not expect from the beginning.”

Rising out of a broken silence, “PRLYSD” finds vocals and a light keyboards capturing the spotlight, surrounded by a subtle but growing soundscape. Halfway through, the song transitions into a new section with percussion and increased synth presence. Eventually the synths take over, coming to a climax as the vocalist’s voice reach a pinnacle falsetto outpouring of emotion.

“PRLYSD” may not be for the faint of heart, but for those strong enough, it may prove a cathartic exhale of pent-up emotion.

An as-of-yet unnamed UK-based duo, TEME arrived in 2018 and have remained a relative mystery while releasing a steady stream of provocative indie pop music full of light and energy. Their debut EP 52°21’48.6″N 2°43’19.6″W – a pair of coordinates that leads to a spot on the banks of the River Teme in Ludlow, UK – came in late 2018, and is as dynamic an experience as it is a movingly soothing one. Songs like “LC Meth Church” and “HELL’S MOUTH” capture minor similarities to fellow UK acts like Aquilo (with their high male vocals) and Honne (with their flare for the ambient and percussive), but TEME make every moment their own: Their music has been distinctive and unique from the beginning. Following last year’s three-track Solar EP, Lunar‘s songs are by far the group’s darkest releases to date, capturing a wellspring of emotion that proves them to be so much more than your average band.

By the time “PRLYSD” comes to its conclusion, the listener will have already experienced profound emotional tension and heartbreaking honesty. The song gets one in the mood for more deep listens, making it the perfect entrance for those unacquainted with TEME’s one-of-a-kind artistry. Stream the new single exclusively on Atwood Magazine, and stay tuned for Lunar‘s release on February 28!

Squeeze the light out
Steer through darkening eyes
And it shows
F**** me like a stranger you know
White smoke
And I know that you’re far
You’ve taken all the margin out
Price me as one
It doesn’t matter, mourning you
You couldn’t cut it for the old pain
Take what’s safe
Throw it down
Can’t force it
You know
Stream: “PRLYSD” – TEME
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