The tragic 2016 Oakland warehouse fire that took the life of Them Are Us Too guitarist Cash Askew left singer Kennedy Ashlyn without a best friend and a collaborator, but a testament to Askew's life and art lives on in Ashlyn's new solo project SRSQ (pronounced seer-skew). Lead single "The Martyr" from upcoming full-length Unreality continues in the darkly ambient dream pop tradition of T.A.U.T. and hints at Ashlyn's healing process through the transformative power of music.
Produced by Matia Simovich of electronic group Inhalt, "The Martyr" is a uniquely calming track highlighting Ashlyn's passionate-yet-sweet vocal capabilities. The ethereal buildup of the verse is released in the chorus, a pained whirr of echoing reverb dissolving back into the lush soundscape in which Ashlyn lyrically explores the duality of mourning and creation. The song is a natural extension of Ashlyn's work in T.A.U.T. but displays the hard-won maturity and depth of an artist in transition.
SRSQ's debut album Unreality comes out October 26th via Dais Records on CD, LP, and in digital formats. Pre-order here and follow SRSQ on Facebook for future releases and tour dates.
