Brand new single from Carl Krausnick

Memphis-based singer-songwriter and producer Carl Krausnick has been making an impression with a sound that feels intimate, slightly off-centre and entirely his own. Working largely from a self-recorded and self-produced framework, his music lives in the blurry overlap between psych pop experimentation and emotionally compelling indie rock songwriting. In his unique sound, ideas are allowed to wander freely before settling into shape, but underneath that wandering quality sits a truly impressive knack for melody and atmosphere.

After introducing his solo vision through a trio of singles, Carl released his debut full-length record Dining Companion earlier this year, a largely self-recorded album that unveiled his musical vision to the world. The record embraced texture, personality and the strange little imperfections that make songs feel human. Now, while continuing work on a second album that expands his collaborative process by bringing in friends and former collaborators, Carl Krausnick returns with his brand new single titled “Handle With Care,” a track that quietly takes his sound into even more adventurous spheres.

Revolving around a recurring circular guitar motif, “Handle With Care” plays out with a hypnotic patience which at first, feels restrained and melodic, almost meditative in the way the guitar line loops back around itself. But Carl doesn’t leave it there for long; slowly, almost imperceptibly, the track begins to drift sideways into stranger terrain, introducing warped synth textures, electronic flourishes and an increasingly playful sense of disorientation that transforms the song into something much larger and more immersive than its understated opening suggests.

Part of what makes the release feel so compelling is the balance between collaboration and solitude embedded within it. Former bandmates Hite McLean and Joe Boone appear on drums and bass respectively, reconnecting Carl with musicians from his past while still allowing his own creative identity to remain firmly at the forefront. Carl himself handled the remaining instrumentation and production, continuing the DIY ethos that’s defined his solo work from the beginning.

Set up by the twang of intricate guitar and laid back taps of drums, Carl’s voice enters with smooth melodies which glide above the steady strums of acoustic guitar and flicker of airy synth tones. Peppered with slick instrumental flourishes and wrapped in a psychedelic sonic fabric, the track flows with lilting rhythmic sway to form a mesmeric and thoroughly engaging listening experience. Dashed with bluesy guitar licks and tinged with a subtly spacey vibe as the sparse synth elements add bright hues to the track, “Handle With Care” sees Carl Krausnick serve up a stunning display of his songwriting flair and performance panahce.

Putting his creativity and musicianship talent on full display, the single delivers a superb soundscape that swells to an epic finale where stacked instrumentation casts a transportive quality before simmering down to the intimate aesthetic of Carl’s voice and delicate textures. As he prepares to release his upcoming sophomore full-length record, Carl Krausnick is sure to win over countless new listeners around the world with his incredible musical output and we can’t wait to see what he’s got in store next.

Listen to Handle With Care below

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