Atwood Magazine is thrilled to present our Editor’s Picks column, curated and written by Editor-in-Chief Mitch Mosk. Each week, Mitch will introduce a selection of songs, albums, and artists that have resonated with him. There’s an abundance of amazing music out there, just waiting to be discovered – all it takes is an open mind and a willingness to listen. Through our Editor’s Picks, we aim to highlight our musical discoveries and showcase a wide range of new and recent releases. This week’s column features Amanda Bergman, The Paper Kites, Mon Rovîa, Jade Street, Dollpile, and Elliott Skinner! Follow EDITOR’S PICKS on Spotify.
Soft winds, dark skies, and the unsettling quiver of a world off-balance. Streets feel lawless and eerily quiet, as if the atmosphere holds its breath while chaos spreads – blood in the oceans, blood on their sunlit shores, seeping into everything. Conversations fray apart, the wrong individuals gain power overnight, and the horizon distorts in a vertigo that’s both surreal and tragically impactful. It's a scene where dread and tenderness intertwine – fraying at the edges, coming apart at the seams, yet illuminated by a faint, stubborn ember that refuses to extinguish – a flicker of hope even in the face of despair.
Singer/songwriter Amanda Bergman captures this all with a tenderness that is both ethereal and deeply human. Her track “grasp” is haunting in a manner unique to her – that slow, smoky ache wraps around you like late-night air, warm and trembling, filled with sorrow and allure. It defines comfort, distills catharsis, a soft glow in a dark space. This is her first new single of the year and her first release since earning two Swedish GRAMMYs for Your Hand Forever Checking On My Fever, with “grasp” arriving like a lifeline – nourishing music for a disintegrating world. It’s tender and dreamy, bruised and intimate, akin to pulling a heavy blanket up to your chin on a chilly night. Yet beneath its simmering beauty lies a fiercer message: a strong reflection on the times we’re navigating and a determination to resist despair’s hollowing effect.
Bergman penned “grasp” the day after Trump and Elon Musk took control of the White House this year – a moment she describes as surreal, dizzying, and disorienting. "I think I was just attempting to make sense of a type of absurd panic," she reflects. The song isn’t just about them personally but what they symbolize: "The idea that the world consistently hands over control to individuals who thrive on chaos and spectacle. Who are fundamentally dangerous." Writing became a means of survival for her. "I didn’t want to stew in despair or let it fester in my mind," she clarifies. "Writing ‘grasp’ was my way of capturing that moment in freefall – turning confusion into something musical rather than just endlessly scrolling and spiraling."
Recorded primarily live at Atlantis Metronome – the old ABBA studio in Stockholm – the track vibrates with an almost delicate hum, its natural rhythm carrying Bergman’s voice in waves. That voice – warm, enigmatic, remarkably expressive – flows through the song like smoke ascending from a match. Beneath its gentleness lies a profound awareness. She sings about world-shattering fear with disarming softness: “Blood in the seas, blood on their sunny beaches… blood in their tracks…” The images are stark and crushing. "It's about the ripple effect," she notes. "How the actions of a few in power can shape the lives of many… The fact that they appear to be unaware – or indifferent – brings forth a blend of sadness and fear."
For Bergman, protesting doesn’t always manifest as shouting. "Protest can be as simple as refusing to go numb," she states. "Being political transcends governments and voting. It’s about how I navigate my thoughts, emotions, and beliefs and how that influences my life choices." In that light, “grasp” becomes a small yet clear act of defiance – acknowledging what feels wrong without letting chaos overrun her inner self. "It’s about not surrendering your imagination to the continuing madness," she elaborates. "And still daring to create something meaningful from it."
That tension – between dread and clarity, despair and composure – gives “grasp” its enchanting allure. Bergman defines the song’s emotional landscape as vertigo: the disorientation of witnessing familiar structures crumble overnight. "You’re unsure what’s up or down anymore," she explains. "I suppose ‘grasp’ resides in that freefall – it doesn’t resolve it, but it shapes it." Parenthood has sharpened her need for balance. "There’s an instinct to be present and ‘in service,’" she reflects. "I want to engage, but these thoughts can
Singer/songwriter Evan Honer explores the creative energy and emotional landscape of his expansive third album 'Everything I Wanted.' He discusses how the places that influenced him, the production process that centered him, and the insights he gained throughout the journey all culminate in his most genuine and personal record to date.
Black Country, New Road explores themes of friendship, transformation, and artistic bravery in their striking third album ‘Forever Howlong,’ which is a rich, multi-layered art-rock collection that transforms their enduring bond into a personal, wide-ranging depiction of connection in its various forms of comfort, intricacy, and awe. In an interview with Atwood Magazine, the band members share insights on evolving while remaining true to themselves, sharing the spotlight among three songwriters, and discovering warmth, trust, and liberty within the collaborative environment they have cultivated together.
Singer-songwriter Izzy Escobar shares her thoughts on crafting music that reflects "what feels authentic and resonates profoundly" on her EP 'Sunny in London'—a genuine approach she brought with her to the Oceans Calling stage for her debut festival performance this summer.
This is a wonderful moment for The Beatles enthusiasts. In addition to Peter Jackson's impressive Get Back documentaries, we've also had the opportunity to enjoy works like
“I suppose the foundation of my music lies in how the younger influences the older.” Similar to how layers of sedimentary rock accumulate to create something new.
Selected by Mitch Mosk, this week's Editor's Picks highlights music from Amanda Bergman, The Paper Kites, Mon Rovîa, Jade Street, Dollpile, and Elliott Skinner!