REVIEW: Alex Winters’ Leap Of Faith on New Single “Break In”
REVIEW
REVIEW
☆ BY KATIE SLATER ☆
RELEASED BACK IN EARLY MARCH— Alex Winters’s indie-rock banger “Break In” is coming into its prime in these warmer months. Focused on the relief of someone breaking down your barriers after years of defence, its true emotional weight is hidden behind incredibly catchy melodies.
No stranger to hardship, Winters is open about the struggles of her early life. A firm believer in “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger,” the lyrics of “Break In” delve into the lingering scars of past trauma yet present them with a defiantly positive spin. Keeping the chorus simple, she repeats the phrase “break in,” urging her lover not to be deterred by her walls.
It is interesting that Winters chooses to invite another to break the lock on her heart rather than open it herself. Touching on the vulnerability that comes with lowering your guard, the singer-songwriter suggests that sometimes, granting someone permission is an act of courage in itself. With a powerful tribute to the romance of compromise in the face of fear, her newfound confidence is heartwarming and inspiring.
The third release in a four song collaboration with production house The Animal Farm, the song was constructed in quite an unusual way. With the initial ideas written by Winters in her U.S. home, a simple phone recording was then sent over to producer Mat Leppanen in London. From there, it was transformed into a release-ready track, and this unique style of collaboration seems to have worked fantastically well for the duo.
In terms of the songwriting, the music adopts a bright, indie feel laced with 90s nostalgia. Driven by Winters’s assured vocals and supported by richly layered guitar parts, the song unfolds into an undeniably joyous celebration.
While the bridge adopts the most tender tone, looking back to a period where her heart was “locked” even here Winters maintains an air of anticipation. With the final chord of the progression pulling strongly towards resolution, we feel a sense of satisfaction is just around the corner as she breaks into the chorus.
As the song draws to a close, a playful interplay between a repeating electric guitar riff and Winter’s repeating assertions of “break in” builds final momentum. However, resting on the final word “heart,” the vocals are suddenly heard alone. In an abrupt drop in energy and texture, this flourish feels deeper than a dynamic choice. As she fully embraces the vulnerability of her new situation, the closing statement feels like a moment of stark acceptance, as we are left simply with the singer-songwriter’s unwavering voice.
A journey through Alex Winters’ formative adversaries culminating her leap of faith, “Break In” is an inspiring track from start to finish. Both poetic and playful, this celebration of vulnerability pays true homage to the healing powers of trust.
