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Apr 06, 2023 By Caleb Campbell Photography by Alexis Backus

Ohly is the moniker of Detroit-based indie folk singer/songwriter Christian Ohly. He debuted back in 2017 with his self-titled EP, and followed in 2021 with Hugshake, a collaborative EP with producer John Katona under the name Bird Fight. This year, Ohly is once again pairing with Katona for his forthcoming full-length debut, Miracle. The record finds Ohly playing the role of storyteller, narrating stories of romance, heartache, and loss in the vein of classic ‘70s folk singer/songwriters.

Earlier this year he shared the record’s lead single, “Maybe It’s You,” and today Ohly is back with another new track, “Knuckles,” premiering with Under the Radar.

“Knuckles” is a warm and pastoral indie folk effort, traced via golden-hued acoustics, honeyed melodies, and a climactic guitar solo. Meanwhile, Ohly’s lyrics are similarly sweet and charming as he narrates a sweeping storybook romance. The track feels like both a nostalgic reverie and a sunlit daydream, balancing memory and fantasy as Ohly’s lyrics tumble out in a lovestruck rush. He opens the track by recalling the beginning moments of the romance, singing “You were working at the metro park and you got me in after dark / And we laid in the grass and watched the lightning pass by / You said don’t worry if we get wet I got some towels in the back / And we stayed there until four, then it started to pour.”

Ohly says of the track, “I wrote ‘Knuckles’ while I was listening to a lot of James Taylor. My dad played me songs of his on guitar when I was a kid, so I feel JT is a core part of my musical foundation. Shortly before I wrote this track I went on a first date that went okay. I kind of fantasized what the future would’ve looked like if it had gone perfectly and had some fun with the lyrics. The way the drums come in at the end of the song with a 90’s sitcom-sounding guitar solo is one of my favorite parts of the record.”

Check out the song below. Miracle is due out everywhere this fall.