Heart-swelling and delicate – that’s how I’d describe this soft indie-folk pop ballad ‘camino santa fe’ from Chicago-based queer queen Yna. Never failing to impress us here at A1234, the Novo Amor-styled intro leads way into an eye-watering and moving story of hitting one’s lowest point in life following traumatic experiences. Feeling alone and scared, the similes of this emotion as coming and going ‘like the waves’ is a testament to her consistent quality songwriting material and could speak deeply to anyone who has undergone something similar in their lives. This strongly showcases Yna’s adept ability to convey deep emotion in her songs.

Though this story and her feelings are communicated on the surface through the lyrics, another strength is this track’s amplification of these emotions through the layering of soundscapes and instrumentals. A shining example of is the record’s apogee. An arena-ready and heartfelt singalong chorus, Yna’s lyrics reveal her vehement and destructive tendencies have led her to be ‘all alone (in the streets of) camino sante fe’. However, this chorus is made magnified and complete with rumbling guitars and crashing drums, where this emotion is poured out into the open in a defeatist yet cathartic sense. I love when she takes this direction with her music, unlike her more stripped-back, melancholic and low-key previous release, ‘for chloe.mp3’.

Tracks like these make me want to connect with the music even further than just listening to it; I want to play it, sing it, cry to it even. Her voice reminds me of Gabrielle Aplin and makes me feel elated with instrumentals which give off immense Orion Sun vibes. This release will now make Yna one of, if not the most covered artist here at A1234, and undoubtedly for good reason.