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May 04, 2022 By Caleb Campbell

Later this week, Fayetteville, Arkansas-based singer/songwriter Jess Harp is set to share their debut EP, Jessy Baby Forever. After years spent as a darling of the Fayetteville DIY underground, Jessy Baby Forever introduces Harp’s dreamy mix of genres, melding rootsy folk instrumentation with touches of indie rock, emo, and shoegaze in a style they’ve coined as “bootgaze.” The full record is out on May 6th via Gar Hole Records, but ahead of the release Harp has shared an early listen to one of the record’s unreleased highlights, “Minesweep.”

“Minesweep” is another entrancing effort from Harp, carried by an angelic vocal performance and expansive songwriting. Harp’s ambling folk strumming mixes with sweet country harmonies and indie-tinged guitar lines, weaving genres together into their own dramatic tapestry. While musically Harp shifts between styles, their lyrics are pure plaintive singer/songwriter fare, confessing their struggles with the hidden minefield of mental health: “Silhouettes are forming in the background of my mind / I need someone to save me and I don’t sure don’t have much time / I need a minesweep to come and take these little bombs away / I need a minesweep to come and make sure everything’s okay.”

“Minesweep is a song that I wrote to myself / about my struggle with depression / traumatic events. It’s grappling with seeing potential in myself and knowing I am trying but being held back by the “little bombs inside my head.” These little bombs are like thoughts or states of mind that I get triggered into from time to time. The first part of the song was added later. We called it “intro” at first. It helps the song realize its opening track potential and set the tone for the song.”

Check out the song below. Jessy Baby Forever is out May 6th via Gar Hole Records.