Linying explored the mystifying coral reefs and underwater caves on the remote Filipino island of Siargao before settling down in Los Angeles,. From this period of “parallel discovery of self and femininity,” the Singaporean songwriter emerged with the groundwork of her sophomore album, Swim, Swim. On her successor to There Could Be Wreckage Here and her first album written away from home, she surrenders to the idyllic landscape and allows it to guide her through personal transformation.

“By learning to lean into the unpredictable but also wildly beautiful landscape that surrounded me, I developed an intimacy with the part of myself that’s ruled by feeling and desire, after a lifetime of being partial to my rational mind,” she explains. Her swirling concoction of dream pop provides an escape from reality, while her relationship with physical elements bring her back down to earth.

Beneath the surface of these lush soundscapes lies confessional tales of self-doubt and her quest for decisiveness. Linying’s period of solitary reflection drew her to large bodies of water and cold showers – sites of solace and upheaval. Bouncy opening track, “Fridge,” embarks on the journey of “finally being someone made for dancing.” The title track follows, detailing a frenzied romantic drama.

She continues to bare her soul on “Dial Tone,” a fiery reflection on alcoholism and masculinity, for which we all pay the price. Irresistably groovy, the music video documents a trans woman (played by layed by Seattle-based drag queen Mikey Xu) who presents as a cishet man to appease her traditional Chinese family at her sister’s wedding. Linying plays the onlooking wedding singer, remaining powerless while this indictment of conformity unfolds.

Spending countless says in solitude forced her to reckon with her deepest desires, fears, and neuroses. She says, “for me these songs contain moments of rare feminine empowerment derived not from manipulating the circumstances with brute strength, but from reframing the narrative in a way that made me feel on top of it.” Twinkling synths mask visceral recounts of turmoil. But after taking back her power, she emerges with resilience and grace.

order Swim, Swim Linying via Nettwerk Records (Flyte, Matt Maltese, Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith)  HERE