Oropendola - “Rorschach Sky”
Joanna Schubert, the artist behind Oropendola, cut her teeth in a number of notable Brooklyn projects, including Barrie and Half-Waif. But like any great songwriter that finds themselves in a supporting role, the desire to create an outlet for their own work eventually takes hold. So, Schubert began sharing her own compositions in early 2022, starting with the delicately mesmerizing “Stillness.” She then followed that up with “Little Alien” to close out 2022, before releasing a pair of stunningly lush tracks, “Knocking Down Flowers” and “Trust The Sun,” earlier this year. Today, Schubert is sharing “Rorschach Sky,” the final single from her forthcoming full length, Waiting for the Sky To Speak Out.
“Rorschach Sky” is shrouded in feelings of uncertainty. Sonically, it’s energetic and anxious, complete with dynamic, clangy percussion elements and immersive harmonies that approach from all directions. There’s much to process and dissect aurally in a way that rewards careful listening. It’s reminiscent of the rhythmic energy and groove-driven madness of Tune-Yards, but Scubert also adds a nice, personal lyrical touch to the song in the form of some sage-like advice about seizing the moment, instead of passively waiting for it to happen. She shared the following about the song’s early pandemic origins:
I paused Twin Peaks to watch the kitchen clock. It was moving backward. A slow, disorienting, luxuriously surreal countdown. April 7th, 2020, which I only knew because I grabbed my phone to type a bunch of exclamation points in my notepad. I had barely changed out of my pajamas for three weeks. I was happy for Time: being able to veer off course. Stretch like silly putty until becoming shimmery and translucent, changing color and sequence like a kaleidoscope. Shifting identity like the clouds.
“Rorschach Sky” points to the missed opportunity of spending your life waiting for something when life is happening all around you. If you’re waiting for some kind of answer from the sky, you’re not seeing the beauty and the motion in every passing moment.
Do you see glimpses into other worlds, too? What do they look like? Do you feel the incessant gnawing, the weight of the waiting, the flicker of freedom? Do you start to wonder, do you start to dream: Are we finally off the hook?
In conjunction with the release of “Rorschach Sky,” Schubert is sharing a video that appears to chronicle a dream sequence. Schubert is first seen falling asleep on a chair, but once she shuts her eyes, the scene shifts to a vibrant, stop-motion animation cartoon. A pair of manic individuals in pigeon masks seize the narrative for the final quarter of the video.
You can watch the video for “Rorschach Sky” below!
Waiting For The Sky To Speak is out this Friday, March 17th via Spirit House Records and Wilbur & Moore Records. You can pre-order the album on limited edition vinyl via Bandcamp. You can also stream “Rorschach Sky” and the rest of the Oropendola catalog on your Spotify.
Oropendola will be celebrating the release of the album on April 6th at Littlefield in Brooklyn. Tickets are available now via Eventbrite. Keep up with Oropendola by following her on Instagram.
