Philadelphia musician Zoe Reynolds, better known by her stage name Kississippi, has had a relatively quiet run as of late — it’s been three years since her 2021 full-length LP Mood Ring made the rounds in the indie pop arena. Thankfully, that was not the last time we’d hear from her, as Kississippi returns today (June 7) with “Last Time,” the lead single off of her upcoming EP damned if i do it for you, due out July 26.
A punchy, polished track, “Last Time” is an infectious piece of pop, featuring funky synths and a head-bop-inducing bassline forming a solid throughline throughout the track. Things never get too formulaic, however, with plenty of sonic flourishes that put the song in a league of its own — keep an ear out for the halfway mark, where a percussion breakdown underlies a cheeky vocal moment.
But when listening, don’t let the shimmer of the sound be deceiving — the track gets right into some of life’s worst minor unpleasantries. “Last Time” recounts an experience Reynolds had running into an ex at a gig she was playing.
“As I took the stage with only a drum machine and mic,” Reynolds shares, “it hit me that I was essentially doing karaoke to these songs about unrequited love, knowing that the person I wrote them about was in the next room with someone else.”
It’s not all dismal, though; Kississippi turns the story into a reclamation anthem, with the line “K-I-S-S, you can kiss my ass goodbye” forming a pseudo-call-and-response rallying cry. That bridge will imaginably be a cathartic experience once Kississippi kicks off a west coast tour later this summer co-headlining with talker.
Hear “Last Time” for maybe the first time below.