néomí - “Oh My Darling”

Photo by Philine van den Hul

Surinamese/Dutch singer-songwriter néomí has just sent us “Oh My Darling,” a song that gives you permission to miss certain parts of past relationships, even though you’ve moved on to a new one.

“Oh My Darling” is a folk song, through and through, beginning your listening experience with the sweetest of finger-plucked acoustic guitar performances. After a measure, we catch the first glimpse of néomí’s vocal, slightly reminiscent of the more stripped-back productions from Maggie Rogers. It is wonderfully heartfelt as it delivers a message to not one, but two former lovers. Her vocal is calm and confident, delicately hitting every note with an intimate perfection.

At about forty-five seconds into “Oh My Darling,” your ears are blessed with the width of some very lovely harmonies, as néomí utilizes some wonderfully placed “oooh’s,” a divine element that many artists fail to include in these softer numbers, even though they can often make all the difference. These vocals are accentuated by a horn, which is yet another element seldom used, even though Bon Iver managed to squeeze it into nearly half the songs on For Emma…, which, of course, is now a staple of this genre.

“Oh My Darling” has a steady crescendo to it as more elements are added, such as a synth pad and piano, until midpoint, when the rhythm section makes an appearance, offering a steady beat to guide the remainder of the song. At just over four minutes in length, the gradual addition of instruments ensures that every listener’s interest will be held– this, in combination with the fantastic vocals, is why we’re sharing it with you today.

If you like what you hear, give the rest of néomí’s EP, after, a spin:

-TM