Recently, I came across the amazingly talented artist, Catlea. They already have a devoted following on Spotify, with over 24k monthly listeners. Catlea comes up with cool mixtures of Alt-Indie, rock, and sometimes even pop and EDM vibes. Their highly anticipated single "Crumbling" marks another step forward in Catlea's ongoing evolution as a singer, songwriter, and musician.
"Crumbling" by Catlea begins with a very lively, bright piano melody that easily captures your attention. Gentle chords sweep through the intro to set a sentimental tone. Within seconds, further layered instrumentation comes in to round out the soundscape. Crisp drums kick in with a steady pulse, joined by shimmering synth pads that fill out the harmonic backdrop.
Their vocals glide effortlessly over the top of the instrumental with soaring reverberation. Though powerful, the tone offers an intimate vibe with its lining amidst pop production. More layers of instrumentation are woven in to thicken the texture. A deft guitar line bounces around that's well-locked in with the drums. The synth pads swirl around Catlea's vocals, embellishing the atmosphere of introspection and release. Halfway through, the guitar riff rides the crisp percussion as Catlea's vocals return even more powerfully for the last chorus. As the song marches to its close, all elements coalesce into a breathtaking whole.
The instrumental grows sweeping and cinematic as it is, yet it retains that danceable bounce. After fading gracefully, the gentle piano, along with an acoustic guitar, closes things out in a reassuring, calm fashion. It's simple elegance, but it does very much mirror that empowering sentiment at the core of "Crumbling": even the toughest hurdles can be conquered by resilience and acceptance of oneself. I'm so glad I listened to Catlea's song, "Crumbling." This will be going into my regular rotation on Spotify. I am now keen on checking out their previous singles.
Amidst an oversaturated industry, rarely does one come across an artist who can truthfully carve their respective lane. Yet with "Crumbling," Catlea has managed to pen one of 2024's more memorable pop jewels by bringing something very personal to the table. Whether it be through the challenges one faces inwards or relating to the struggles that someone else may be going through, this song provides fuel to keep on moving forward, a message we could surely use a little more of. Look out for much bigger things from this young artist. I highly recommend giving "Crumbling" a stream on Spotify.