Sun Bleached Flies – Ethel Cain

This will be my most streamed song of the year.

There aren’t days that I don’t listen to it, and I rarely do so without repeating it several times. The ethereal composition of this specific storyline makes it feel oddly familiar. Each line has me leaning in closer, looking for the bits that feel true and authentic to me. I believe everything that she says.

I was lucky to see Ethel Cain at Coachella in 2023 during her rise to becoming the cult icon that she is now. Her following has grown immensely, far outsizing the mom-and-pop presentation of her scattered tour dates, super limited merchandise releases and lack of any vinyl pressings for her one studio album “Preacher’s Daughter” or super popular EP “Inbred.”

The song lands at the end of her debut concept album, and evidently recounts the experience of seeing her dead self from heaven after running away with a boy that she held every hope for. The same boy who would eventually kill her.

Line by line, she ponders what could have been, and how sorrowful she is to not be back in the Midwest where she could have avoided this fate, sparing her family from suffering the loss of her.

This standout track was prominently remixed with Robyn’s Dancing On My Own, and subsequently blew up on Tiktok. That version is euphoric and thrilling, giving the sensation that you’ve just had an exorcism, or been baptized.

In any variation, Sun Bleached Flies is rich with breathtaking lyricism that begs self-reflection of the listener.

God Loves You
But Not Enough To Save You
So Baby Girl
Good Luck Taking Care Of Yourself

I’ve gained clarity from this song, and found that accountability in each of our lives is vital. Most of our failures and victories fall within our own control. It’s not a warning or a threat, but a push forward to keep a sharp eye out and get your shit together. Be wise, and love yourself enough to survive.

And I Spend My Life
Watching It Go By
From The Sidelines
And God I’ve Tried
But I Think It’s About Time
I Put Up A Fight

The 7+ minute track is an emotional journey. You sympathize with the now-dead Ethel Cain, and learn from the missteps that led her to this point. Comfort can be found in the fact that she’s at peace, and lovingly sharing her message with listeners. The triumphant conclusion to this evangelical, abstract and relatable song leaves you chanting with your eyes closed.

If It’s Meant To Be
Then It Will Be