“Heart of Ice” by Narrow Skies

Based out of Hong Kong, Echoes Blue Music has established itself as an ambient music label par excellence thanks to releases by Antarctic Wastelands, Dear Gravity, Good Weather For an Airstrike, and Salt of the Sound, to name a few. Interestingly, much of the label’s output consists of shortform ambient compositions that rarely, if ever, pass the five-minute mark, which makes them feel like veritable pop songs compared to the soundscapes of, say, Steve Roach or Robert Rich.

Thus, it should come as no surprise that Narrow Skies, one of several projects by the husband/wife duo of Anita and Ben Tatlow, actually creates honest-to-goodness ambient pop. Their latest single, “Heart of Ice,” is a subdued-yet-emotional piece that blends chilled synths, poignant piano melodies, and subtle beats with Anita Tatlow’s lovely harmonies and pensive lyrics. As is the case with a lot of Echoes Blue Music material, though, the resulting song feels like it’s over far too quickly.

“Heart of Ice” is the latest installment in Narrow Skies’ “Heartsongs” project, which aims to create “dark alt-pop” songs that “delve more deeply into the human experience of navigating this planet we call home.”