Conan Gray undeniably knows how to have us euphorically dancing to a big pop hook, but he also knows how to have us laying numb and crying. And the Texan singer-songwriter has tapped the vibe of the latter for his emotionally charged new single ‘Astronomy’.
Exploring the decaying process of a relationship, he looks at how one day you could just wake up and look at your partner in a different way and realise that you no longer know them and aren’t meant to be together. “We’ve traveled the seas, we’ve ridden the stars. We’ve seen everything from Saturn to Mars. As much as it seems like you own my heart, it’s astronomy, we’re two worlds apart” he vulnerably sings. But then he sings; “Stop tryna keep us alive. You can’t force the stars to align when they’ve already died. Oh, we’ve died” WELP! I think my heart fell out of my chest and shattered all over the ground listening to that line.
With the intimate strumming of the acoustic guitar, Gray soothingly unravels this storyline of heartbreak while layering piano and strings over the top as he gradually builds the sonic. Complimenting the emotional storyline, he keeps the production in a very light and tender place which allows the words to really have a big impact.
‘Astronomy’ is another beautiful song that shows a maturity and growth in Conan Gray’s artistry as he learns how to articulate his feelings even more in-depthly. It’s emotionally raw, intimate and ultimately stunning. You will walk away from listening to it with a heavy weight in your heart, even if you aren’t currently going through a break-up.