CONSTINE Fuses Aboriginal Soundscapes With Family Drama On Her Dark-Pop Track 'NEVER'

The musical experimentation of production and instrumentation that Constine showcases, although understated, is still very evident in her new song “Never.” Vocally in the vein of Sia with the occasional hint of Duffy’s raspy, dry distinctive quality shining through, Constine takes us on an unusual journey to a similarly dark place to Madonna’s Alternative Electro 1998 hit single “Frozen.” Beginning with background, electric guitar arpeggios, so distant-sounding that the reverb and delay effects haunts you as though the parts were being performed in a derelict building or in a similar realm to Chris Isaak’s guitar playing on the famous “Wicked Game,” the introduction definitely sets the foundation of “Never” nicely, like when The XX caught our attention with the atmospheric opening track to their self-titled debut, “Intro.”

With an unusual combination of maracas and possibly some claves or other woodblock-type percussion being hit to form the rhythm of the drums and keep the tempo going, a military drum making an appearance in the first chorus as well as an Electro snare played off the beat in the second chorus, similar to Guy Sigworth’s drum programming on the Alanis Morisette 2008 B-Side song “20/20,” it’s fair to say that Constine wanted to keep things fairly weird and surreal, and despite the odd bit of Latin percussion heard here and there, she still manages to stay within a similar vein to other Alternative Electro acts such as BANKS. It is her unique, gloomy vocal performance that helps maintain the same melancholic vibe BANKS delivered on her song “Drowning,” as Constine sings “let’s pretend that we can never die, let’s pretend that none of this is a lie.” The ending contradicts the rest of this memorable number by bringing a choir of young voices into the picture, singing the chorus acapella in its epic finale. Considering its’ overall production and instrumentation, think of Constine’s “Never,” as an underground version of the 2006 Nelly Furtado throwback, produced by Timbaland, “Say It Right,” and you’ll know what to expect when streaming.