B-Side Guys

In the fluorescent glow of a late-night text message, Mila Degray’s “Two Bridges” illuminates the precise moment friendship combusts into something more toxic. The latest single from her forthcoming album “Silver Meteor 98” (due October 18th via Velvet Jane Records) dissects the aftermath of misplaced trust with surgical precision.

Over synthesized dreamscapes and purposefully restrained percussion, Degray delivers one of the year’s most quietly devastating opening lines: “Stop using you as an excuse for being unwell.” It’s a statement that functions both as self-admonishment and accusation, setting the stage for a narrative that unfolds like a series of Polaroids taken at the wrong moments.

The production walks a masterful line between bedroom pop intimacy and professional polish. Each synthetic texture feels carefully chosen to mirror the artificial nature of the relationship being dissected. The dynamic percussion section doesn’t so much keep time as it mimics an irregular heartbeat, perfectly underscoring lyrics like “I don’t feel pretty when you’re around.”

What makes “Two Bridges” particularly compelling is its exploration of power dynamics in modern relationships. The repeated refrain “Call yourself my friend but this isn’t what friends do” becomes more than just a hook – it’s a mantra for boundary-setting in an age where relationships blur across digital and physical spaces. The mention of “2 AM every weekend” speaks volumes about the kind of pseudo-intimacy that flourishes in the liminal spaces between friendship and desire.

Degray’s vocal delivery shifts between resigned observation and barely contained fury. When she sings “I’ll watch you wipe my blood all over this white dress,” the imagery is stark, but her delivery remains controlled, suggesting a narrator who’s learned to package pain into manageable portions. The repetition in the post-chorus (“This isn’t what friends do”) functions like a spell being cast – or perhaps broken.

The track’s arrangement grows more complex as it progresses, mirroring the way toxic relationships tend to accumulate layers of complication. The mention of “cigarette skin tattoos” offers a brief glimpse into a shared history that makes the betrayal cut deeper, while the production’s dream pop elements create an almost narcotic haze around the sharp edges of the narrative.

Following her buzzworthy cameo in Charli XCX and Billie Eilish’s “Guess” remix video this summer, “Two Bridges” proves Degray isn’t just riding the wave of association. This is an artist with her own distinct voice, using the familiar tools of indie pop to excavate uncomfortable truths about friendship, desire, and self-worth.

As anticipation builds for “Silver Meteor 98,” “Two Bridges” suggests an album that will resonate with anyone who’s ever found themselves checking their phone at 2 AM, waiting for a message they already know will bring more harm than healing. It’s a testament to Degray’s songwriting that she can make such specific pain feel so universally accessible.

The track cements Degray’s position as more than just an opening act for sold-out Isabel Larossa shows or a music video cameo – she’s an artist capable of transforming personal wreckage into powerful pop statements. “Two Bridges” might be about the death of a friendship, but it’s also heralding the birth of a significant new voice in indie pop.Copy