Two logs of firewood birthed Olivia Gavranich not but 20 years ago, giving the world the warm, crackling sound it needed. Mom and Dad were confused when Olivia popped out with a muffin-top hairdo but were relieved to see she became the beat contortionist and soul of folktronica project St. South. And Cheez-It’s almighty does she have the “means to caress,” especially in new song “Slacks.”
“Slacks” has a tight and fluid beat that encapsulates Gavranich’s subtle, authentic voice. Yet it’s less of a voice than a series of vibrations echoing from her soul, producing something more vulnerable than the typical. The vocal abyss is splattered with black and white minimalism – layers upon layers of rainy day, tightly wound sounds. Gavranich repeats “heard it all before”, but this style is merely on the rise.
In August 2012, Gavranich composed lyrics over her blend of Bon Iver’s “Wash,” “Hinnom, TX,” and “Holocene.” Cleverly named “We Washed Texas”, this remix was a winner of Bon Iver’s Stem Project, a contest that asked fans to remix a song or songs from Bon Iver’s second album. It’s a tasty track — you’ll want a bite.
So hug your headphones. Sink your speakers into a pint of ice cream. You’re in the mood to get moody, and with St. South on you can’t stop that wrecking ball from tweaking.