Singled Out: Shuffalo's Whispers

Keavin Wiggins | 10-03-2020

Shuffalo recently released a new single called "Whispers", and to celebrate we asked primary songwriter and lead vocalist Brayden Bell to tell us about the track. Here is the story:

I wrote Whispers a few years ago when I was on night shift in a coal power plant. The power plant was old, a steel apparatus that wrapped intricate staircases around boilers over 12 stories tall. The floors were all metal grating, so you could look down from whatever floor you were on and see a terrifying drop to the concrete basement. Inside the boilers contained an inferno of fire, so the entire plant was hot..always hot, which allowed the muggy air to constantly smell of coal soot and lubricants. There was something so temporarily pleasant about being shut off from the world. No immediate responsibilities aside from showing up everyday. Everyone was sleeping and everyone was safe. In a rare, still and silent state of mind, the lyrics and melodies of Whispers took form. Since my work stint was over a month stretch, I found myself reminiscing on the warm summer nights.. the ones I left so abruptly just so I could fill my pockets. The nostalgia set in as I thought about late nights with friends in different cities, fleeting love and the search for meaning. It all came easier in the darkness. There are multiple metaphors in the song that tie in the intimacy of human connection to the seemingly alive structure of the plant. "I watched the water drip down your rib-cage", refers to watching the water trickle down the metal grating one floor at a time and lines like "machinery stuck as slaves to dirty coal mine kings" are a little more literal. Although, I'm glad I'm not still working there.. I will treasure the commands of a hardhat, and will miss the solitude that allowed me to formulate unique and unusual thoughts, feelings and ideas.

Hearing is believing. Now that you know the story behind the song, listen for yourself below and learn more about the band here