“Where You Been” is the addictive and dreamy new single from singer/songwriter Red Skies Mourning. Chris Aleshire is the mastermind behind Red Skies Mourning who left behind his musical comfort zone back in 2020. Red Skies Mourning seeks to write soulful songs that touch on tenderness and the emotions of past incarnations. Aleshire has lived a life and then some, giving him a rich world of experiences to pull from. “Where You Been” is a moody and transcendent Alternative Pop track that layers a futuristic beat over Aleshire’s soulful lyrics. The result is a evocative and atmospheric track about overcoming self-hate. “Where You Been” embodies Red Skies Mourning’s vision for where music can go and what it can be. It blends the personal with the groovy nature of pop to create something brand new.
URL: https://redskiesmourning.com/
From the moment the melody of “Where You Been” begins you are transported elsewhere. The melody is dark and brooding before Red Skies Mourning’s enchanting vocals come in, bringing a heavy dose of emotion to the track. The production and arrangements on “Where You Been” are incredibly thought out and clean. “Where You Been” opens up into a dancey pop song during the chorus where Red Skies Mourning lets the power of his voice take over the track. The use of synthesizers create a futuristic atmosphere of loneliness and triumph. It really feels like you’re going on a journey with Red Skies Mourning as you listen to “Where You Been.” I found myself with my eyes closed, really taking the track in, feeling like I was being guided through Red Skies Mourning’s mind.
“Where You Been” encapsulates the trials and complexities of confronting one’s flaws and learning to love them. There is an undeniable air of vulnerability that permeates this track from start to finish that is amplified by Red Skies Mourning’s evocative vocals. Its one of Red Skies Mourning’s goals to make music that touches something deeper in his listeners by leaning into those depth’s, “Where You Been” achieves that goal. While “Where You Been” is a very personal track it also is one of the most relatable Pop tracks I’ve heard in awhile. Whether its admitting that its hard to see the good in yourself or wanting to learn to have love and compassion towards yourself, there is something for everyone to relate to in “Where You Been.” Its rare that pop songs really reach into the depths of what makes humanity tick but Red Skies Mourning does so effortlessly.
Red Skies Mourning tackles the subject of self-hate with clarity and honesty. They are straightforward yet poignant while maintaining a poetic essence that cannot be missed. “Paradise/Was hard to see through my eyes/Succumbed to my demise/Why I hated myself inside,” is how “Where You Been” starts. Immediately, Red Skies Mourning sets the stage for what listeners are in for. While the lyrics are packed full of emotions “Where You Been” never slips into melancholia. Staying true to its Pop roots, it maintains a spirit of triumph that makes you want to play it on repeat. My favorite lyric is the last few lines of the chorus, “I’m stronger now than currents in the ocean/Love decides to stay in/My mind it’s time I left my past behind.” The more you listen to “Where You Been” the more it reveals to you and the more relatable it gets.
Red Skies Mourning has been on a journey to arrive at his new sound “Where You Been” is the sum of all that hard work. Red Skies Mourning employs otherworldly melodies to bring his music to life. Through honest lyrics and catchy beats “Where You Been” is the song for moody summer nights. I can’t wait to see what other hard hitting topics Red Skies Mourning chooses to tackle in the future and where he continues to take his sound. He’s on the pulse of something very special, “Where You Been” is just the beginning. Don’t miss it!
Garth Thomas