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Jul 20, 2022 By Caleb Campbell Photography by Alessandra Leimer

Fans last heard from indie folk singer/songwriter Zoe Boekbinder with their 2018 record Shadow, followed by Prison Music Project’s Long Time Gone. The latter was a collaborative album, co-produced by Boekbinder and Ani DiFranco, featuring songs co-written by currently and formerly incarcerated people.

Tomorrow, Boekbinder is back with their first new music since Shadow, a new double single, I Am Yesterday / Cut My Heart In Two. Ahead of the release, they have shared the first of the two tracks, “I Am Yesterday,” along with an accompanying video, premiering with Under the Radar.

“I Am Yesterday” is another hypnotic gem from Boekbinder, with strands of intimate instrumentation encircling Boekbinder’s arresting vocals and stark lyricism. The track finds Boekbinder reflecting on the loss of a relationship, being shunned by the ones they love, and the harsh wounds the loss bringsー“Whatever you say is what they see/Whoever you say I am they will believe/I know you know that’s not me/I am begging you please tell a different story.”

It’s a sparse and isolated work, yet Boekbinder and their co-producers/labelmates, Gracie and Rachel, render the track with an enveloping sense of warmth and welcome, balancing the desolation with comfort and confession.

As Boekbinder explains, “This song is about losing a friendship and being cut off from that person without a chance at resolution or reconciliation. It’s about being shunned and being cast as a villain in someone’s story. I have been writing about forgiveness and accountability and these songs are rooted in my belief that we are capable of keeping our communities whole while addressing harm… and you thought they were just broken hearted love songs.”

Check out the song below. I Am Yesterday / Cut My Heart In Two is out July 21st via Ani DiFranco’s Righteous Babe Records.