There’s a delicate sadness to Siv Jakobsen’s latest single, “How We Used To Love” that will speak to anyone who’s gone through a break up.
From the haunting minimalist string, guitar, and piano combo that forms the introduction, the scene is set even before Siv’s voice makes its subdued entrance. And what a voice it is, blending elements of Joni Mitchell’s relaxed diction with Joan Baez’s intense range to create a brand new dynamic that defines Siv’s sound.
Even without the press release, which states pretty explicitly that the song is about one of Siv’s previous relationships, the themes behind the song couldn’t be any clearer. Some of the lyrics read like a transcript from a doomed couple’s conversation, stuck in a cycle of pain and remorse. It’s heavy going stuff, but far from being depressing, it’s like giving your soul a spring clean.
In just over three minutes, you get to feel the ache of extreme loss, remorse and then acceptance, and come out the other side refreshed and ready to take on anything.
