While sea shanties may be having their moment in the spotlight, right now it’s Newfoundland art rock that has caught our attention. All These Little Games, the upcoming EP from St John’s based singer-songwriter Virginia Fudge, is quickly shaping up to be one of the most releases out of the province this year. “Dragonfly,” the second single to be released from the EP is another exciting example of the fresh take Fudge’s career is experiencing with a touch of guidance from producer Meg Warren.
“Dragonfly” — which Fudge cites as perhaps the strongest single to emerge from her collaboration with Warren — came to fruition a little differently than the processes most of her songs have experienced. Rather than a standout lyric forming the foundation of the song before turning to piano or guitar, Fudge says that “Dragonfly” found its humble beginnings as an intriguing bassline that had formed while noodling around on Ableton.
Despite the digital environment from which it sprung forth, that bassline managed to open up a floodgate for Fudge.
“It was that sound that was the inspiration to write and not any grand situation or feeling. As it turns out lots of feels DID end up coming out before she was written, but the access point was different. And so the song ended up being different than my usual,” explains Fudge.
“Of course, the song is also different because, for this EP, I gave my beautiful producer Meg much more control than I ever would have when I was younger.
“In the past, I held onto ideas and songs because I was still proving myself as a writer, and I felt like I had to hang onto my songs to be taken seriously as a woman who had strong instincts about production. But I admired Meg and her music so much that I just let her set the tone from the start. She had great insights on the arrangement for this song. This song is a beautiful mix of our musical instincts. In the end, she brought the vibes and I brought the beat.”
The bassline ended up transitioning to a minimalist hum, joined by a simple beat, the occasional plunking of a piano and Fudge whispering along, but the song shortly blossoms at midpoint, beautifully unfolding with the weight of an organ. Fudge directly addressed the crux of the song; the challenge of keeping yourself together while a relationship leaves you questioning what direction your future lies in, as she sings, “I may never get to love you again, catch me cause I’m falling into the end.”
“I was a mess at the time, and I think you can hear where I was, very clearly. I was a bit of a shadow… lost to myself and stuck,” explains Fudge.
The unbusy production of “Dragonfly” captures the same magic of St Vincent’s Masseduction album; the striking minimalism of a strong beat paired with expansive melodies and gutting lyrics makes us wonder how to throw a dance party for one from a fetal position. We’re treated to the gloriously complicated contradiction of experiencing a teary-eyed stank face. Whatever this is, can it be shipped in bulk?
Virginia Fudge’s all-female performed and produced EP, All These Little Games, is slated for release during International Women’s Week on March 12, 2021.