Baltimore-born singer-songwriter Joy Postell’s 2018 record Diaspora carried with it a distinct warmth, an earthiness that suited her pitch-perfect high contralto voice. This year’s six-track Back and Forth EP takes all the promise and prowess of that album and pairs it with glistening, sharp-edged electronic production that would sound perfectly at home amongst the most polished pop stars. The crown jewel of Back and Forth is its title track, a confident and clear-eyed statement of intent from Postell. “I beat the cycle,” she sings, “Fear’’s my only rival,” practically daring you to challenge her on the assertion. Today, The FADER is premiering Postell’s surreal, beautiful video for the song, a hazy vision of self-discovery directed by Elena Debold.
“‘Back and Forth’ narrates a tale of indecision versus certainty within self. Directed by Elena Debold and shot by Tyler Davis, this movie brings a new perspective to the track,” Postell tells The FADER via email. “I chose to get vulnerable and focus on more personal relations for the Back and Forth EP. I was going through a lot of transitions at that time in my life and naturally found myself writing about them as a way to process my emotions.”
Watch “Back and Forth” above.
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