“Honeysuckle,” the first song from a new collaboration between New York artist Mary Jane Dunphe and Toronto’s 9Million, is a simple, elegant tune that feels both timeless and nostalgic. Tomasi has a healthy list of production credits—Ethel Cain’s Preacher’s Daughter, Nicole Dollanganger—and is a staple of Toronto's hardcore scene. Dunphe has an equally diverse background, having moved in and out of punk, indie, and electronic communities (her band CCFX’s lone EP remains a classic).
The track opens with a My Bloody Valentine-esque tambourine and quickly adds driving tremolo guitar—both gestures that solidify the duo as students of the ‘gaze. The song’s lyrics evoke imagery of weeds being stomped but continuing to grow regardless. The writing feels bittersweet but ultimately hopeful, not unlike The Magnetic Fields. If “Honeysuckle” is an indication, this collaboration is sure to be a fruitful one.