The distance from London to Bristol is about a two hour and fifteen minute car ride. Plenty of time to listen to “London to Bristol” by LA artist Isabel Wing over and over again. With honey smooth vocals and transportive strings, this song takes you on an introspective journey.
On her Instagram, Wing says that she wrote this song post-college graduation, “totally broke and without direction.” This feeling shows up in her song as Wing sings about the mountains, the sea, and the fields. All these locations, and yet there is no place to settle. Wing traveled to England for her best friend’s wedding, and despite the happy occasion, “felt like the world was moving on without [her].”
This is such a common feeling, which is why songs describing it feel so relieving. We all feel lost in life sometimes, and it’s exacerbated when the people close to us don’t seem lost at all. Hearing a song like “London to Bristol” reminds us that it is not some uniquely hopeless experience- it is ok to be lost. Wing describes crystallized stars, trees in the mist, and the migration of blackbirds to remind us of the simplistic beauty that can be found in our journeys, however purposeless they may seem.
The acoustic nature of the song is peaceful and leads us to accept that feeling lost is inevitable and temporary. Wing is sure to sneak in a few moments of haunting instrumentation, though, mirroring the doubt that creeps in even what uncertainty is accepted. A lovely song made for wanderers, “London to Bristol” by Isabel Wing is introspection at its finest.
Written by Emily Cushing
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