Photo credit: Betsy Newman

Indie-pop queen, Luxtides, has released her soulful, brutally honest debut EP Flood Sounds featuring her brand new single “Salt.” The EP was penned from a cloudy mental state, where each of the five tracks represent the phases of grief (denial, anger, bargaining, acceptance, depression) – but not in that exact order. “It was important to me to tell a story because for such a long time I convinced myself that my story didn’t matter,” says Danni Bouchard, formerly of the folk/pop duo Oh Honey who then went on to create her solo career as Luxtides. “The EP includes my new single ‘Salt’ that I’m so excited to finally release. When I wrote it, the song was about my experiences in the industry and feeling like I was drowning under all of the pressure. But throughout this pandemic, the meaning has shifted for me. There’s days when I’m stuck in my head, weighed down by self-expectation and beating myself up when I don’t meet it. ‘Salt’ is a reminder that I can be my own worst enemy but I can also fight for me. I’m trying to make peace with myself, and this song – and EP – are part of that journey.”

She continues, “May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and bringing light to these issues is something I strive for in my music. I’ve battled severe anxiety, OCD, and depression since I was little and it’s been really important to me to address and normalize that struggle. Releasing my EP this month felt like a good fit in continuing that dialogue.”

Flood Sounds kicks off with “Echo,” a song about being a woman in the music industry, and not being in control of your own work. “Pretty girl, just shut your mouth / Play the part that they wrote down / You’ll get used to how it sounds.” The sound of the track may fool you with its enchanting instrumentation, but the lyrics throw you for a total loop. Nonetheless, “Echo” is incredibly catchy and conveys a story most wouldn’t dare touch. Beautifully empowering, the track reflects the anger stage of grief because of the feeling of oppression in the industry. The frustration of not being able to fully speak your voice provokes an anger inside anyone itching to reveal the truth.

Track number two, “Fragile,” is about a toxic relationship a lot of people will find themselves in at some point in their life. “Champagne turns into fights / And we’re spilling words / You say you’re sick of these nights / Why you tryna make me hurt? / Why you tryin, i know you like it, why you like it, why you like this? / Champagne numbing my mind.” The instrumentation is chilling, yet catchy. The self-aware narrative is paired with lavish synths and Danni’s silvery vocals – where at the end of the track, a sense of awakeness and realization, and that the only road to take now is a one-way trek straight ahead. “Fragile” was written to reflect the denial stage of grief, ignoring the toxic traits of your lover that should be the reason to leave them.

The next track, “Dark,” gets much more intimate about mental health. The song was penned from inspiration from Danni’s sister as she was going through a dark, unstable time in her life. She really opens up her heart in this one, speaking of the light within us all, while also reminding us there is a certain darkness inside as well that we must be conscious of in order to not let it completely engulf our minds. “I know you got darkness / You’re running from the light / Until it starts to feel right / When you feel the farthest / Sinking through the bottom / Buried in your problems / Open up your eyes / You’re standing at the edge of it all / Cause I know you got darkness / But that don’t mean you have to fall.” “Dark” is a beautiful reminder that you are not alone on this journey of self-awareness and self-acceptance and that your mental health does not define you. “Dark” is the depression stage, written about the parts of mental illness that are most devastating, but trying to see the light – personally, it’s my favorite track from this collection

“Salt” is the latest addition to Luxtides’ discography. The brand new single tells the story of the pressure an artist in the music industry feels almost daily. “Blur my vision / Don’t know whose life I’m livin’ / Tasted the air but forgot how to breathe on my own.” “Salt” is a great addition to her collection, especially with her signature sound of keen and fragmented instrumentation. This song will definitely be a fan favorite. This track is the bargaining stage, listing all the things that are holding her back, while asking “Is there a way out of here?” as if to say she would do just about anything to escape the feeling of being trapped.

The closing track “Dreams” is a positive, lovely track that will make you want to fall in love all over again – a chance to to experience the honeymoon phase just one more time. This song most certainly does not lack the poetic features we have come to treasure from Luxtides. This is the first love-inspired song we have been gifted from the talented songstress, and boy is it a hit. The lyrics explore a fresh and uncharted blissful relationship, and her vocals emit a delightful and fiery rendered craving to bring two hearts together. The track has garnered over 100K streams on Spotify since its mid-2019 release, and has been a favorite ever since. “Dreams” is the final stage of grief: acceptance. Finally, finding happiness with both herself and with her lover – accepting anything and everything the love has to offer.

Luxtides is continuously writing and plans to unveil more content throughout 2020.

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Luxtides is the solo venture of Danni Bouchard, whose last endeavor Oh Honey (Fueled By Ramen/Atlantic) enjoyed international success as a folk-pop duo. With Luxtides as the latest extension of her artistry, she dives into a deeper headspace for inspiration, penning darker, dreamier songs that soundtrack her experiences with heartache, mental illness, and letting go. Releasing songs in conjunction with the moon phases, her third single “Fragile” was featured on Train Tracks on Sirius XM The Pulse. She has also had several songs placed on various tv shows, including Insatiable (Netflix), The Hills: New Beginnings (MTV), and Terrace House (Netflix). Her live show walks the line between dreamy and cathartic and she has opened for such acts as lovelytheband and Young Rising Sons. Luxtides most recently inked a deal with NYC-based indie label AntiFragile, and plans to release several more songs this year. She also lends her talents as a songwriter, signing a publishing deal in 2018 with Rough Trade Publishing/Bank Robber Music and co-writing songs for artists like Natasha Bedingfield.

When the duo parted ways in 2016, Bouchard decided to explore music that felt darker and more deeply personal, and Luxtides was born. In addition to signing publishing and label deals and landing a number of television placements, she has shared the stage with lovelytheband and Young Rising Sons and been covered by such outlets as Revolt, Atwood Magazine, Ladygunn, and Teen Vogue.