Lydian Eisegesis

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Talking With Hands returns with The Coin, a four-song, gapless EP written in direct response to the 2024 U.S. presidential election. The project captures a rising tide of political despair, pairing tightly wound arrangements with a sharpened vocal edge.

“Had the 2024 election gone a different way, I might not have felt the same urgency,” says Matthew Smith, aka Talking with Hands. “But I couldn’t ignore it. I needed to say something now.” 

Tackling a crumbling socio-political landscape with a creative outpouring is no small feat. Expressing protest and defiance through music is a time honored tradition that Smith felt compelled by, reflecting - ”I see a lot of comedy and satire in the creative space addressing this, but I don’t see enough anger, especially in music. Everyone is understandably exhausted, but I’m personally not finding laughter to be a satisfying response right now.” 

Where the previous album, Organic Machine, was a lush and layered ponderance on the future of creativity and how humanity and technology intersect, The Coin leans into heavier guitar tones, despondent reflections of  the tense landscape and a more aggressive performance style. Lyrically, it navigates the thin line between protest and personal anguish. “I’m not calling for violence, but I do find myself praying that certain profoundly unqualified persons would die. That’s the emotional truth this record wrestles with.”

At once blistering and thoughtful, The Coin stands as Talking With Hands’ most direct and politically engaged work to date. May it serve as a companion in your own frustrations and an inspiration to take action.