The Birth of Dark Earth

Every artist has a nichè. Every artist is inspired by other artists and different genres. Then there are artists that pave their own path. With the world of music growing daily, new sounds emerge. Let me introduce you to Dark Earth, and it's first creator - Annábla.

SoCal native Caitlin Murphy [she/her] is an artist and songwriter creating under the alias ‘Annábla.’ Through intimate music, released under her label Dark Earth Records, in collaboration with LA based producer Nick Harper, Murphy strives to align her emotional and physical environments, as well as shed light on what it’s like to be a vulnerable 21st century young-adult.

Inspired by artists like Led Zeppelin, Erykah Badu, John Mayer, James Blake, and Banks, she is constantly blending her current taste with what she claims to be “an uncontrollable ancestral, spiritual, and earthly drive to create truth out of thin air.”

After developing and perfecting her sound she released a four-song EP, Soft, that hit all streaming platforms in February of 2020. Gently, Backpack, Stay, and Cross My Mind tell the stories of relationships, love, break-ups, and the vulnerability that is shown or not shown in the moments and challenges of growing up.

Gently

Come and rock with me till mornin'

We could keep the midnight rollin

Watch it fade away

Whisper something to me slowly

I could hold you if you hold me

Dip you in a dream

Gently takes you through the ups and downs of a relationship. The wants, the needs, and the terror that comes with giving yourself to someone. Everyone wants to be loved and give love in return, but that always involves insecurities, fears, and taking a risk with yourself. It's asking for pure vulnerability from someone because you've never received it in the past.

Do you lose control

What's the wait

Give me more

Comfort me

Terrorize my soul ooh yeah

Love me gently tonight

Love me gently tonight

Backpack

Now you wanna stay close

Now you wanna go home

You say you want it but you never run baby

So I don't know

What to prove

What to do

You say you love me but I think you're wrong baby

It don't show

When you do

What you do

Backpack, is all about the back and forth of one person being all in, while having to convince someone else to do the same. It's the smooth way that Annábla says "You say you love me, but I think you're wrong baby. It don't show, when you do, what you do." You accepting all the sides that a person gives, even the parts that they don't want to show, and they run out of fear of judgement. It's encapsulates: Actions really do speak louder than words.

Stay

Stay

Give me a sign

Lend me your mind

I wanna know what you’re thinking

Say

We’re doing fine

That we’ve got more time

Before you walk away

The wants and the needs continue, as she asks for more. She needs some reassurance and some clue that he's being vulnurable and open with her. She's putting her needs on the backburner, so that when he does decide to be open or not, his feelings are valid and heard. Annábla states: "I think what I learned from writing this song is that in the moment, I was trying so hard to force something to happen that just naturally wasn't meant to be. Believe someone when they say how they feel, trusting and respecting that is key."

Cross My Mind

I never wanted much from you

Not the clouds above or the skies of blue

Just to walk right by your side

Hear you singing in my ear

Can't hold back how I feel inside

When you go crawling past my eye

I just can't help myself

You're a wondrous being

Now I

I just need some time

To find

Someone to cross my mind

This is all about wanting a distraction from a crush. We've all had those crushes growing up, that are surface-level, but they're constantly on your mind. Stay is about getting a distraction from the what-ifs that float around in your head when you think about this person.

Click here to listen to full songs:

Spotify | https://spoti.fi/2MMcE7S

Apple | https://apple.co/2MtYtEH