"Anemone" is the first release from Portland band Starover Blue since their EP Moneystealer came out around this time last year.
It’s one of those tracks that is deeply satisfying to experience on headphones, where you can immerse yourself in synth layers that drip with gauzy texture. Their brand of electronic dream-pop is marked by the prowess of husband-and-wife duo Kendall Sallay-Milotz (vocals and guitar) and Dirk Sallay-Milotz (synthesizer), who met in the music department at San Jose State University in 2007.
Starover Blue’s sound exudes a steady self-awareness that one might expect from a creative partnership of 11 years and counting. Dirk Sallay-Milotz's Juno-106 synthesizer produces a reverent nostalgia and is given equal footing alongside Kendall Sallay-Milotz's airy soprano in the mix. The equality of the two creates an environment where it is the sound as a whole that shines, rather than a single piece, perfectly complemented by James Alton (drums) and Kyle Polensky (bass).
When approaching the song, Starover Blue drew inspiration from Japanese writer Haruki Murakami’s novel Dance Dance Dance, which was translated into English by Alfred Birnbaum in 1994. The song’s title, “Anemone,” is a “floriographic reference: The anemone flower sometimes signifies forgotten or forsaken love,” the band says.
“Lyrically, the track was inspired by elements of [the novel] and the melancholy that arises from its bizarre, interdimensional romances and friendships,” Kendall Sallay-Milotz reflects. “I think more broadly, it's about the feeling when you get out of sync with your loved ones, just operating on different wavelengths. The track switches back and forth between time signatures to signify this musically as well."
This single releases as Starover Blue embarks on a two-week Western US tour, with stops in the Bay Area, San Diego, Phoenix, Vegas, Salt Lake City, Boise, and a homecoming show in Portland at the Alberta Street Pub on Saturday, August 25.
