With a combination of an acoustic instrumental and detail-focused lyrics, the song is a beautifully melancholic account of a past relationship. She encapsulates the complicated feeling of remembering an idealised version of the past whilst knowing the connection would never be the same again. "Just stay a little while / Memories alive" depicts this well, with her 'memories' being at the forefront of the song rather than the relationship itself.
Her focus on small details is ever-present throughout the song. The lyric "The smell of rain on the pavement" accentuates how much a memory can linger. Despite the single's lyrics of longing, it has an upbeat, guitar-driven sound that is comparable to her previous 2019 single 'She Plays Bass'. Although, that track is focused on the present, and 'Memories' is a clear revisitation of her past.
'Memories' has already proven itself as a strong track, being performed live both before and after its official release. It was sung at multiple of her US festivals and headline sets over the summer, including Lollapalooza, Hinterland Music Festival and Red Rocks Amphitheatre. Since its release, she announced on her Instagram that she will be releasing a 'Memories' music video soon.
Following on from 'Memories' and her two other recently released singles 'Sun Has Set' and 'Switchblade', her fourth album is set to be released next month with Dirty Hit / Interscope Records. Titled 'Pylon', the new album will contain 14 tracks and is a slight departure from her previous sound; still with similarities, it will lean into rock and grunge, with a focus on anger, loneliness and, as displayed in 'Memories', nostalgia.
Ella Clarke
Image: 'Pylon' Official Album Cover