Though we like to believe in its value, the concept of closure is often an illusion. When we try to tie things up at the end of a relationship, it often has the opposite effect, leading to knots of emotion and misunderstanding that can leave you in a worse place than when you started. Nothing is worse than the “it’s not you, it’s me” adage commonly offered as insufficient reasoning. If we are without blame, why do we suffer? On new single “Everything at Once”, Aimee Vant broadens the scope of this cliché, revealing the true culprits of the breakdown at hand. “It’s not you,” she offers convincingly, admitting “it’s dishes in the sink / It’s trying not to think / It’s no one listening.” As she continues to unravel, the pressures around her only compound: from the laundry on the floor to the city that raised her and the harsh reality of turning 23, it’s all too much to bear. “It’s not you,” she reaffirms, “it’s everything at once.”

Vant’s sparring partner on the track is Los Angeles artist Lev, who’s verse on the track proves him to be a worthy opponent to Vant’s melodic wallowing. He appears at home in the dystopian environment Vant routinely operates in, but it does get any more nightmarish than the break-up scene of “Everything at Once." Lev expertly navigates his position, gently confronting Vant for an explanation while practicing empathy in his response. His voice holds a kind of sensitivity that pairs well with the light-blue plucks of the guitar supporting the track. If their writing wasn’t enough evidence of Vant and Lev’s chemistry, their shared chorus pairs their naturally melancholic tones in a heart-dampening duet. As the emotional damage begins to set in, the track swells like a bruise, Lev breaking off into a spiraling bridge of trying to make sense of how he allowed himself to be in this position to be hurt. Though the physical marker of pain fades quickly as Vant closes the track with a whimper rather than a bang, the futility of closure becomes clear. There’s still dishes to clean, laundry to fold, and more questions to answer now than before.

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