Baltimore-based indie artist Plant Dad (Ralph Bernabe) teams up with UK folk singer-songwriter Jacob Cook to deliver a haunting, melancholic ballad in “broke conduits,” released on October 4, 2024. Known for his vibrant and danceable indie pop, Plant Dad strips the shimmer for the real, by singing his coexistence with clinical depression in his own self. With apathy numbing their sensations, “broke conduits,” stands as Plant Dad’s most vulnerable and self-revealing piece to date.
“broke conduits” opens with soft strumming guitars, setting a somber, almost desolate mood that is immediately immersive. Plant Dad’s airy and breathy high vocals carry a fragility that makes the lyrics feel all the more poignant. His voice feels exposed and intimate, like a confession. Underneath the main melody lies an atmospheric soundscape that adds weight to the song’s melancholic theme. The heavy, echoing layers create a sense of emotional burden hanging over the track. Jacob Cook’s backing vocals subtly echo behind Plant Dad, giving the song an expansive, ethereal quality, deepening the emotional resonance and providing a haunting counterpart.
The lines “I’m trying to help me find the words that’s on my mind / And I’m lying cos I’m drowning at the seams” demonstrate existential uncertainty and a deep yearning to escape overwhelming feelings. The refrain, “I’m better off,” portrays resignation and frustration, as the protagonist swings between fleeting moments of clarity and resignation to despair.
The vivid imagery and metaphors of brokenness and emotional detachment evoke both mental and physical exhaustion, and will help you find a place of relatability if you are sinking with the debilitating weight of depression.
Listen to “broke conduits” by Plant Dad and Jacob Cook on Spotify.
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Photo Credit: Jonathan Ronning, Emily Bryant
Review by: Naomi Joan