Sombear is the side project of Now, Now’s Brad Hale, a band we know for its soft-spoken lyrics and understated electro pop. With “Love You in the Dark,” Hale has taken this sound and gone a bit further with it. Through the use of house and ’90s pop influences, the debut single pulls from the understated style of Hale’s work in Now, Now and leads us into a far darker realm.
Though the general feeling of the track is full-on summer night sultry, “Love You in the Dark” is more a song about wanting to want something. A desire for desire. It’s a song made for anyone who has ever been in a relationship mostly because it was a good idea. Because of this, one would imagine the sensual nature of the airy beats and the frank refrain of “I can’t love you in the dark” would exist in conflict — but this doesn’t seem to be the case. Somewhat brilliantly, Hale uses this very conflict to create the feeling of longing of desire in the listener that he marks the absence of in his lyrics.
Though busy with his work with Now, Now, Hale has managed to find time to release his first LP, Love You in the Dark, which will be out next Tuesday, July 23.