Conner Youngblood’s string of low-fidelity, acoustic folk exploration has been one of the more intriguing musical transformations of 2018. Understated vocalism and a generally mellow sonic texture have always driven his sound even dating back to his collaborative work with Skizzy Mars, but in recent months, a shift towards the acoustically profound has granted him with a new gold mine of auditory aesthetics. 

 

Beginning with Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, a title as distinctly soothing and folk as the track itself, and culminating with the more comically titled but equally acoustic and mellow Pizza Body, four total singles, including The Birds of Finland and Los Angeles, have come to define a new era of the still young Youngblood’s spectrum. 

 

Pizza Body (a clever play on Be Somebody) takes a swaying guitar and keystroke beat and introduces to it country-inspired instrumental elements and an expectedly light-hearted and positivist set of lyricism and vocals. It’s simple. But, somewhere within its simplicity, Youngblood has unearthed what any good acoustic and folk musician has the ability to find – ultimate uniqueness.

 

Youngblood’s career which spans half-a-decade, has taken a lot of interesting turns, but it seems that with this one, he is at his most comfortable and true. 

 

Keep an ear out for Cheyenne, out August 17.