In the hazy overlap where retro soul meets modern indie wanderlust, few acts nail the art of quiet revolution quite like Collaborations. Music that makes you think as you ease into their relaxing sonic vibes. Their newest track “You Gotta Know” continues this trend.
The ever-evolving project hails from the Stratford, Connecticut collaborative music scene. Spearheaded by enigmatic songwriter Ed Daniels who has a knack for roping in kindred spirits that go all in on his mesmerizing vibe. With these friends, Collaborations crafts songs that feel like late-night confessions over vinyl crackle in a room carpeted in shag with a warm fire crackling in the corner.
(We covered previous Collaborations release Songs From The Heart HERE)
The latest release “You Gotta Know,” is less a single song than a velvet-gloved nudge to your inner optimist. It blends classic Motown with a 2025 sheen that could soundtrack your next existential journey of the mind.
The song unfurls like a well-worn Polaroid: a warm, finger-snapped groove kicks things off, with producer Vic Steffans layering in hazy synths and a bassline that slinks like it’s got secrets to spill. Anais Preller’s silky smooth vocals glide into the ethereal, delivering lyrics with the kind of breathy conviction that turns passive listening into active soul-searching. It’s a thought provoking manifesto masquerading as a mellow earworm. Vintage idealism for a world where we all strive together for the best version of ourselves.
Collaboration expands behind the boards. Matt Oestriecher provides the arrangement to fill out the song. Together they alway find a way to give a song room to breathe, letting the space between notes hum with possibility. The bridge swells just enough, a subtle yet energetic guitar solo peeking in like an old friend crashing the party, before easing back into that hypnotic chorus hook that’ll have you looping it on repeat. Collaborations again uses a cast of amazing musicians to capture that rare magic where musical kinship meets serendipity.
In a world quick to forget, “You Gotta Know” whispers a reminder that we can be hopeful for a better world if we all lean into that hope. Find more from Collaborations on their WEBSITE.
