“Focus Ring” by Denison Witmer

Back in October, singer/songwriter Denison Witmer dropped a lovely single titled “Older and Free,” and now he’s followed it up with a whole new album. Anything At All was recorded over the course of two years during the pandemic at Sufjan Stevens’ studio alongside various contributors and collaborators, and finds the Philadelphia-based Witmer musing on bird watching, carpentry, childrearing, death, and one’s purpose in life.

“Focus Ring” begins with the same understated feel that we’ve come to know and love from Witmer — just his acoustic guitar and humble voice — but given Stevens’ production, it soon blossoms into something far more sweeping, with choral vocals, string arrangements, and psychedelic guitars. To Witmer et al.‘s credit, though, the song never gets cumbersome or overbearing, but rather, remains a lovely little gem for its entire two-and-a-half minutes.

Anything At All will be released by Asthmatic Kitty Records on February 14, 2025.