“I jumped off the ship to try to swim to the shore, they had me tied up for years I thought I’d never leave the boat, I had bread just to lay on your back and you could float but the pressure of the water pulled me to the ocean floor” – Issa Gold
Six years since the release of his last solo project Conversations With A Butterfly, the Underachiever Issa Gold has finally released the first single off his second offering titled Tempus. Released under Overland Hills Records, the song is called “Underwater,” which is jointly produced by Two Fresh and Pro Era producer Chuck Strangers. Despite the arduous wait, Gold unsurprisingly meets all listening expectations. As much as I love his debut, the sheer quality of “Underwater” alone exceeds every track on Conversations With A Butterflly, serving as evidence of Issa’s evolution and continual growth as an artist. Accompanied with a thematic Flynnstone visualizer, the record’s title can be interpreted for a metaphorical interpretation as Issa Gold’s afflictions are submerged ‘underwater.’ Buried deep beneath the mental surface, Gold reflects on the various stages of emotional and circumstantial turmoil that’s shaped his current identity. Followers of The Underachieves are well aware that the duo has been on both sides of the dualistic spectrum, as expressed in their album Evermore: The Art of Duality. As such, Gold’s familiarity with the bottomless pit of despair has allowed him to be more appreciative of the light at the end of the tunnel. Whether the battle is against loneliness, anxiety, depression, unproductivity, skepticism or overcoming trauma, Issa has always prayed for the success of others even when at his lowest state. This notion includes people that are “praying for [his] loss,” as Gold empathizes that he’ll never wish down upon anyone no matter the circumstance(s). Although Gold knows the predicament of remaining underwater, he cleverly likens himself to the Greek God Poseidon in the complex sense that he paradoxically finds comfort at the bottom of the sea. In laymen’s terms, it’s easier to settle than it is to fight, which currently serves as Issa’s primary dilemma for his motive to ‘swim to the top.’
“I’m crying everyday it’s been a constant daily battle, when I feel that everyone around me sees me as a hassle, trying to build up something new and not just be like the cattle, just like Jimi Hendrix told us water melts the sand castle”
As in depth as the lyrics are, equally impressive is the quality of production which makes the entire song sonically brilliant. Moreover, Issa Gold’s improvement can be pinpointed through his calculated flow, mastery of tone/pitch variance, and most of all the level of expression that can be felt through the listener’s experience. No matter when Tempus arrives, I have no uncertainty that the full release will be a demonstration of excellence in every regard. To alleviate pressure, it is worth noting that Issa Gold has certainly already built an existing foundation that his fanbase appreciates. Reminding him and any artist/person facing similar struggles of their worth is just as/if not more important than praise. Check out the visual for “Underwater” below!