Daily Discovery: Dwight + Nicole Spin Retro, Soulful Vibes For New Single, “Further”

They’re retro, they’re groovy, they’re good songwriters and they’re Mavis Staples’ new favorite band—they’re the Vermont-based trio, Dwight + Nicole, and on October 6, they’re unveiling their latest single, “Further.”

Coming ahead of their EP of the same name—itself due on October 22—the single and its soulful, lo-fi sound are indicative of Dwight + Nicole’s particular brand of thoughtful song-smithing.

“I wrote ‘Further’ thinking about perspective,” Dwight Ritcher explains to American Songwriter. “I ride my bike through a graveyard a couple of times a week on my way back home, and I look at the stones and the dates. I imagine what their lives were like—and how those lives, in turn, affected so many other lives—and so on and so on. I wish everyone… well… it’s a short run. ‘Further’ is just commenting on what might be possible if we get fed up with the things that obscure our view during a lifetime (or lifetimes?), the things that keep us tethered. There’s tiredness in repeating the cycle. Do these obstructions really hold and serve us in some way? Imagine where we could put the energy that it takes to keep them in place.”

What’s so neat about “Further” is its sense of immediacy… there’s something about Ritcher and Nicole Nelson’s vocal performances that makes it feel so raw, so urgent. Perhaps that’s because of the way the tune was recorded.

“This one came together quickly—we recorded it live-to-tape on the first day of the session,” Nelson explained. “We did three takes, and we were all feeling the third take. It was basically exactly the way we play it live, so all that feeling is present in the recording more than any of the other songs. We didn’t want to do too much to it because that raw simplicity is a rare and beautiful thing. It’s imperfect, but… so are we.”

Putting this single out now, ahead of the Further EP, the trio is excited to continue to share their story with the world through music. “When we started putting songs together, these five just told our story,” Nelson explained of the EP. “Each song hits on pivotal points of our lives over the last couple of years. ‘Further’ is the one that is about redemption. It isn’t wallowing in heartache or too self-indulgent. It is straightforward. It’s a mirror cry to drop all of the bullshit and create something brand new. We are all being called to do that now.”

Dwight + Nicole’s new EP Further is due on October 22—listen to the single “Further” HERE.