There's something subtly magnetic about Alpha Mare's debut single, "Wilderness Begins," a song that breathes. Comprised of Andrew Fowler and Izé Yeng Goodfriend, two kindred spirits who found themselves together on the shores of Maui, the sound of Alpha Mare is the result of a geographic distance, divergent upbringings, and an undeniable musical kinship that shines through every note.
"Wilderness Begins" already sounds like stepping into a field at dusk, confused, but undeniably alive. The pair let the song unspool organically, allowing its peculiarities and textures to wander like spotted sunlight. Andrew's work isn't so much upbeat as grounded instrumentally, and that provides a steady heartbeat that allows you to connect. Meanwhile, Izé's vocals are like a warm wind, drifting in and out, familiar and full of haunting remnants. There are sonic moments that sound purposefully rough around the edges, and that's sort of the charm. It's a living, breathing thing. "Wilderness Begins" is a reflection on connection to self.
You can hear their bond, not just in the way they play off each other musically, but in the way they leave room for silence, for strangeness, for shared breath. It's a song that makes you want to slow down, listen more closely, and perhaps discover your wilderness in the silence. This is the sort of debut that doesn't turn cartwheels for attention, but wavers. Not with a badge of honor, but with the truth, and in doing so, they have carved out a lane worth revisiting. "Wilderness Begins" serves as a point of origin for this promising duo and also charts a path for the rest of us to follow.