BEST NEW TRACKS: MINKE - GOLD ANGEL

I’m a rabid fan for noise (I listen to static all the time!), but I’ll be the first to say that louder is not necessarily better at times. There is a special intimacy in minimalism, both in aesthetics and in the music that often accompanies it. We Are: The Guard thus dub Minke’s “Gold Angel,” a sweet, contemplative track, made vibrant with its adorned electric guitar. Listen below.

MINKE - GOLD ANGEL

Minke doesn’t shy away from genre-bending in her first single, “Gold Angel.” Imagine if Lorde and St. Vincent collaborated on a song -- Yeah, I know, I have to sit down too when I think about it. But this is the vibe of “Gold Angel”: Soft, melodic beats with lightning strikes in between them. Minke riffs on her guitar just enough to stir the mixings in this song, making for a refreshing change of pace -- in that the pace isn’t the expected one I’ve come to find in similar tracks. But she’s claimed both Hendrix and Robyn as inspiration, so really, it should come as no surprise.

Lyric-wise, “Gold Angel” is honest in its loneliness. “I’ll be your gold angel / If you want me.” I think I just found my new 2 AM text message. It’s certainly more poetic than “hey u up?”

“Gold Angel” is a slow but satisfying unravel, with the guitar and poppy ambience melding together by the last chorus. I’m hoping we can expect more of that same, easy-sounding fusion in her soon-to-be-arriving EP? Heaven knows we need a soulful pop artist who can shred on a guitar. Minke, please be that person for us. Check her Soundcloud for updates.