Let’s talk about heartbreak—not the loud, dramatic, throw-a-glass-across-the-room kind, but the quiet, lingering type that hangs around long after the relationship ends. That’s the emotional terrain Kevin Driscoll maps out in his debut single “Black It Out”—and he does it with striking honesty, poise, and sonic richness.

First impressions? This track feels like a deep exhale after holding your breath for way too long. It’s soulful but restrained, aching yet composed, with that delicate balance of emotional rawness and polished musicality. For a debut release, “Black It Out” comes off like something crafted by an artist who’s already spent years sharpening his voice—not just his literal one, but his artistic one.

Driscoll wrote and performed nearly the entire song himself, which honestly makes the emotional delivery even more poignant. You can hear the personal stakes in every note, every breath. This isn’t someone trying to fit into a genre—it’s someone spilling out what they had to say.

Lyrically, the song digs into that pit-of-your-stomach grief that comes when you know, with finality, that something is over. Not just paused. Not just complicated. Over. And what do you do when you're face-to-face with that truth? You try to black it out. Erase it. Bury it beneath noise, distraction, or silence. Driscoll captures this desperation with poetic restraint—he doesn't over-write. The emotion is in what's unsaid as much as what’s sung.

There’s a subtle fullness to this track that elevates it beyond a standard breakup ballad. Cue Jeremiah Johnson, whose synth solo steals the show in the best way possible. It’s not flashy—it’s haunting. It arrives like a ghost, weaving through the arrangement with a kind of shimmering melancholy.

Johnson also handled mixing and mastering duties, and his work deserves a shout-out. The balance is pristine—every element is right where it should be. The synths shimmer, the vocals are front and center but not overbearing, and there’s a warmth to the track that feels almost analog. You get the sense that a lot of care went into making sure this song sounded as intimate and immersive as it feels.

Recording engineer Richard Dudley of Long Jump Records also played a key role in shaping that sound. There’s a clarity and cohesion here that many debut singles lack. “Black It Out” doesn’t feel like a first step—it feels like a statement. A beginning that knows where it’s going.

What’s most compelling about Driscoll as an artist, at least based on this track, is that he doesn’t try to hide behind production tricks or genre gimmicks. His influences—Joni Mitchell, Weather Report, Bruce Cockburn, Nick Cave—are complex storytellers and emotional deep divers. You can hear echoes of all of them, sure, but Driscoll uses that palette to paint something personal, not derivative.

So what’s next for Kevin Driscoll? If “Black It Out” is any indication, we’re looking at an artist who’s not afraid to confront the messy, vulnerable parts of life and alchemize them into music that sticks with you. This track might be born out of heartbreak, but it’s more than just sad—it’s resilient. And that, my friends, is what makes it worth putting on repeat.

Turn the lights low. Put your headphones on. Let yourself feel it. And when it hurts too much? Maybe just… black it out.

“Black It Out” is available now on all major streaming platforms

Listen to Kevin Driscoll and other similar artists on our Spotify Playlist ‘New Music Spotlight - Indie & Alternative’

“Black It Out” - Kevin Driscoll

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