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Release Some Emotional Baggage with de ROCHE’s New Single ‘1k lbs’

By Charlie Maybee

This reading of Alchemical Records content provides a multimedia experience for our audience while increasing the accessibility of our content to persons with hearing loss, low vision, dyslexia, physical or motor disabilities, or are on the autism spectrum.

The Baltimore-based pop rock musician de ROCHE (also known as Liz DeRoche) recently released their new single “1k lbs,” which reveals its namesake in the first line: “I know it haunts you / A thousand pounds of heartache on the surface.” At the core of the song is a humming bass which drives forward with strong intent. As the first verse builds, an even deeper and electronic bass sound pushes through adding to the natural weight that the song touts both lyrically and compositionally.

As we enter the chorus, there is an atmospheric guitar and synthesizer that adds distorted chords, which allow the song’s push to stay in a lower register as de ROCHE sings, “You’re not alone / There’s no one strong enough to hold this burden.”  This is a song that has strong sense of direction and understands how to swell effectively in a way that reflects a sense of a meditative deep breath, which she also notes lyrically: “The only thing that’s left is just to breathe in.”

Fans of pop stars like Robyn will find a lot to love about de ROCHE’s sense of melody and rhythm that is both inviting and captivating. Given that this is the solo artist’s latest in a string of singles, there is bound to be a full collection of songs coming down the pipeline that will be equally as exciting. Until then, we will wait in anticipation for their next release because this is a songwriter with exceptional production skills and emotive prowess.

“1k lbs” is available on all major streaming services like Apple Music, Spotify, TIDAL, Amazon Music, Deezer, Qobuz, and Bandcamp.

Follow our Alchemical Weekly Spotify Playlist for this and more great music featured on the site.

Charlie Maybee

Charlie Maybee is a dancer, musician, educator, and writer based in Charleston, South Carolina who currently teaches with the Dance Program at the College of Charleston. His primary work as an artist is with his performing collective, Polymath Performance Project, through which he makes interdisciplinary performance art that centers tap dance as the primary medium of expression and research. He also currently plays rhythm guitar for the Charleston-based punk band, Anergy, and releases music as a solo artist under the name Nox Eterna.

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