Ears Wide Open: Black Polish

Kevin Bronson on October 18th, 2023

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Maryland native Jayden Nicole Binnix is just 18, having debuted under the name Black Polish at 15 with the single “Sophie” and releasing an EP, “Out of Place,” in 2021.

Black Polish draws from a spectrum of influences, retro and modern, but has a knack for making spacious songs with the propulsive bass lines, steady rhythms and natural atmospherics of anthems down through history.

This week brought the new single, “Graves,” along with the news that Black Polish’s debut album, “Forest (Monsters Live in the Trees),” will be out Jan. 26 via Riptide Music. It’s an album whose origins predate the songwriter’s move to Los Angeles.

“This album was created while I was living in Maryland and beginning high school,” Binnix says. “My family home was secluded and tucked away within the suffocating trees. It was my first major project I had ever worked on and I was only 15. Within this time, the unexpected pandemic hit. Days blended together, as deep isolation set in. I felt as if I saw the world in 3rd person. Seclusion in my room became my existence.

“Though quarantine laws were lifted after a year, breaking from the shackles of depression and dissociation would simply not be possible. With every bad day, therapy session or panic attack, I always ended my week with writing a song. Collabing with incredible writers such as Maia Kelly, Gabe Reali and Taylor Jamison along with talented producer Ryan Raines and Alex Tirheimer, has made the process that more special.”

In the video for “Graves,” Black Polish is backgrounded by a graveyard and, naturally a forest. It’s reminiscent of the visuals for Paramore’s “Decode.”

“Forest is not a place, it’s a state of mind,” Binnix says. “A state of mind where I am constantly looping back with no knowledge of escape. One thing about the woods is if you don’t remember how you got in, the chances of getting out are slim.”

||| Watch: The video for “Graves”