Hardline – new single by Julien Baker

Julien Baker returns with another single in the lead-up to her upcoming album Little Oblivions. On ‘Hardline’, the indie-folk singer from Tennessee brings with her the expansive instrumental and textual palette that has defined her since 2015’s Sprained Ankle. What is most striking about Baker’s music is the strongly personal response her song writing evokes. ‘Hardline’ is a fitting showcase of this – feeling as though its narrative is unfolding exclusively to yourself. 

The accompanying stop motion music video created by Joe Baughman is tremendous. The strikingly creative paper mache-style visuals tell a story that masterfully reinforce Julien Baker’s emotive performance on the track. There is something quite eery and dark about the video, but it always maintains a streak of beauty and a sense of hope. That is to say, it perfectly meshes with the sounds of ‘Hardline’. Together they form an immersive experience brimming with the ingenuity and talent of its creators. Such a complete and realised artistic vision would be impressive from any artist, but from an artist as young and aspiring as Baker, it is also incredibly exciting. ‘Hardline’ suggests a glistening future for her music and career in the coming years. We will get an immediate taste of that future in the form of Little Oblivions.

Julien Baker’s ability to shape disparate objects into a cohesive whole is mirrored by her ability to bring contrasting sounds together seamlessly. In speaking about the song and video, Baker stated, ‘I don’t know why I have the impulse to write songs or make tiny sculptures out of plane tickets. But here it is anyway: a bunch of things I’ve collected and carried with me that I’ve re-organised into a new shape.’ 

Baker recently appeared on KEXP in promotion of Little Oblivions. Featuring a passionate performance of ‘Hardline’ along with several other upcoming songs, the set exhibits Baker’s natural flair and affinity for taking risks. The session was recorded in Jack White’s Third Man Records in Nashville. In a studio owned by Jack White, a certain level of guitar-playing proficiency never goes astray; Baker fits the bill with ease as her instrumental and vocal performance here is pitch perfect. 

Baker has toured with indie favourites such as Bright Eyes and Death Cab for Cutie in the past and their influence is displayed in the ethereal and gleefully chaotic sound of ‘Hardline’. Although these are enviable parallels, she is so much more than a positive comparison, she is quickly becoming a uniquely brilliant act in her own right. Much of the buzz around Baker emanates from Boygenius – her collaborative act formed with Phoebe Bridges and Lacy Dacus in 2018. Her bandmate Bridges has since made her herself a prominent and near unanimously celebrated performer on the indie scene; it is hard not to see Julien Baker following the same route. If Hardline is anything to go by, Little Oblivions will surely prove a swift step in her evolving into a genre defining artist.

Little Oblivions will be released on 21 February 2021 via Remote Control Records. ‘Hardline’ is available to stream now on all major platforms.

Julien Baker
remotecontrolrecords.com.au/artists/julien-baker
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Image: Alysse Gafkjen