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It’s only once she vows to “walk through the fires / Of all earthly desires / And let go of the pain that obstructs you from higher” that the song enters its cathartic crescendo, Olsen’s vocalizations dancing with the strings as she rises above it all. “It’s a song I wrote to remind myself that this life is temporary, the past is not something to dwell on, that it’s important to keep moving, keep searching for the people that are also searching, and to notice the moments that are lighter and bigger than whatever trouble I’ve encountered.” The song begins with serenely sparse piano and percussion, over which Olsen stretches her delicate vocals, recalling when she “made up mind / To learn to release the dreams that had died.” A string trio soon lend their sounds to hers, the instrumental gaining momentum as Olsen’s resolve solidifies.
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”‘Through The Fires’ is the centerpiece statement of this record,” Olsen explained in a statement. The song is a sweeping slow-burn in which Olsen seeks to transcend all of the love, heartbreak and loss that informed her new record. Powerhouse singer/songwriter Angel Olsen recently shared the latest preview of her forthcoming album Big Time (June 3, Jagjaguwar), a single titled “Through the Fires,” with a lyric video shot by Angela Ricciardi.
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