Effective period / Period of releases: 2022

Chicago-based musician, Hayes’ tracks are short and compact, brief gut punches steadied by inherent rhythm. Outwardly simple, the melody often seems to collapse inward, with repetition and intonation that sounds like one long vicious cycle. Intuitively fleshing out an instrumental with a melody in mind, she slowly builds song structures that bend until they break, only adding in lyrics later. Singles like “Bite Me” and “Wish It Was” sound like internalized monologues that blur the lines of pop and rock, where Hayes’ vocals sit vulnerably bare. It often feels like she’s putting on a brave face, and ‘Over & Over’ excels in the way that Hayes seems to say, in spite of everything, she’s doing things exactly the way she wants.