I’m a sucker for piano. Any melody with a little twinkle of keys has my attention. “symptom of life” by WILLOW opens with a tease of a piano chord progression. It’s an opening that feels like Picasso’s blue period or like standing alone in the rain on the corner of a busy street, and it makes me wish I never stopped playing piano. 

There’s always those songs that make me want to grab an instrument, like I need to be closer to the song than just listening to it or singing it. I want it to take over my thoughts and my body. “Clocks” by Coldplay is one of those songs; “symptom of life” is another. 

WILLOW is back at it. This latest single has the same high-quality songwriting as her previous releases but is less emo-punk than “hover like a goddess” and less pop than “Wait a Minute!” It’s the same flavor as her previous single, “alone,” released in November 2023. Both are lyrical and earthy. They’re songs for being alone, making art or contemporary dancing. And the common concept definitely foreshadows a new album. 

But I wouldn’t say “symptom of life” is a sad song. It’s not exactly uplifting, but it begs for connection to people, to our natural surroundings. The lyrics provide tension to backing instrumentals that on their own would be repetitive and boring. WILLOW’s voice provides a give and take as she slows down, lingering on some words, then speeds up the next verse with clipped, staccato articulation. The whole song hints at self-conflict. It’s another introspective hit by WILLOW.