Los Angeles alt-rock band Starling are excited to share their new EP, Forgive Me, available digitally and on vinyl now via San Antonio’s Sunday Drive Records. This release captures the high highs and low lows of being in love, from falling into it to swaying out of it. Unrelenting guitars crash against bandleader Kasha Souter Willett’s caressing vocals, anchored by grounding drums. Moments of noise are accompanied by sweet sparseness, wrapping the listener in a blanket of emotion.
“Our record reflects the longing of its title, ‘Forgive Me,’. There is regret, loss, and eventually acceptance in the material,” Starling explain. “We began writing these songs in 2024, and most of the recordings are informed by what we do in our live performance. To the band, this is not an EP, as it is over 30 minutes and conceptually tied together through every song. But it’s also not really an LP; It is only 7 songs. So we don’t really care what you call it. This work feels like a transition; for the band, and the sentiment in the music.”
Heralding the announcement of Forgive Me, was “I Can Be Convinced,” a hard-hitting but sickly sweet departure from their sparse and airy dreamscapes. The single sees the four-piece examine an all-consuming love and the comfort one can find in confinement. Soaring guitars, blistering hi-hats and Kasha’s saultering vocals push the song towards sonic chaos. Directed by David Milan Kelly and produced by Skyler Sulby, the official music video for the single was filmed in Los Angeles, CA, and features the band amongst an array of ballerinas.
Performed as a duet, the second single “No Frown” documents the invincibility and sweetness that a small town love can bring. Acoustic guitar and string arrangements evoke fond memories, yearning for the past as Kasha and Gitai’s vocals reminisce on moments of desire. A striking, ever-relevant song, Starling’s entry into the slowness marks one of their most reflective and memorable releases yet.
Starling has kept busy since their inception in 2023, steadily releasing music and playing shows on the West Coast. Their debut EP, 2324, arrived last fall via tastemaking tape label Pleasure Tapes. Serving as a compilation of their singles from 2023 and 2024, the project features fan favorite songs like “Bottlebrush Tree” and “Falling Down a Mystery Hillside.”
