B-Side Guys

In the liminal space between confession and composition sits Matt Storm’s latest release, “2 Selves” – a track that abandons ornamental flourishes in favor of raw emotional cartography. The Vancouver-based third culture kid, fresh from sold-out performances in his hometown and a debut at LA’s Hotel Cafe, has delivered a piece that feels less like a song and more like an overheard conversation between conflicting parts of the same psyche.

Storm’s piano work throughout “2 Selves” functions as both foundation and counterpoint to his vocal delivery. The minimalist production choice creates an intentional void that mirrors the emotional absence explored in lines like “Is it only me/Or is it you too/Cause I get so weak when I see/You.” This restraint allows listeners to inhabit the negative space between notes, making the listening experience unusually participatory.

What’s particularly effective is how Storm’s multicultural background informs his approach to genre boundaries. Neither fully R&B nor completely folk, “2 Selves” exists in its own musical borderland – appropriate for an artist whose identity was shaped across continents. The song’s central refrain, “I’m at odds with my 2 selves/These warring worlds/Torn apart and I can’t tell,” reads almost as autobiography for someone navigating multiple cultural frameworks.

Storm’s vocal performance reveals his jazz influences not through obvious scatting or improvisational runs, but through his approach to phrasing, particularly in the second verse where “Yes I always want what I can’t/Have” hangs unresolved, mirroring the emotional state described. The self-taught nature of his musicianship manifests in unconventional chord progressions that feel discovered rather than studied.

The closing question – “Won’t you tell me if I’m dreaming” – remains hauntingly unanswered as the track fades, suggesting that resolution might be beside the point. In an era where even independent artists often over-produce tracks to compete for attention, Storm’s commitment to emotional authenticity through deliberate musical sparseness marks him as an artist more interested in excavating truth than manufacturing appeal.

“2 Selves” offers evidence that Storm’s upcoming EP “SPILT” may deliver on its promise of experimental fusion – not as a marketing strategy, but as the natural expression of an artist whose identity and sound refuse convenient categorization.