Move over gently Noah Kahan, there’s a new voice emerging from the scenic landscape of rural Vermont. It comes from indie singer-songwriter Lutalo, the multi-instrumentalist, producer, and Minnesota native who today (January 7) releases “I Figured,” a haunting fit of folk-ish post-punk that quickly follows last fall’s debut album The Academy.
Lutalo, a cousin by marriage to Big Thief’s Adrianne Lenker, recently shared stages with Interpol and Nilüfer Yanya, and “I Figured” shines a vibrant light on the rising artist, arriving ahead of a headlining North American tour that wraps February 14 at Radio Bean in Burlington.
The hazy daydream track showcases Lutalo’s commanding voice, a narrator in an over-arching storyline that is slowly beginning to unfurl. It examines the balance between lust and love and how it commands our next move, whether we realize it or not.
“‘I Figured’ is about a ‘situationship’ that likely should not be, yet still find themselves coming back to each other,” Lutalo says. “There is a bit of resentment and tension between both people, but when it comes to turning each other down they still end up falling for each other. Maybe it’s love, maybe it’s lust. Even going as far as seeing ‘two elevens’ as a sign they should continue on this path.”
Follow Lutalo’s path below. And prepare to hear the name quite a bit this upcoming year.