Track Premiere: autumnal "breathing"
There’s something immediately comforting about “breathing,” the latest single from Fort Collins’ fuzz folk band, autumnal. Maybe it’s the warm, reverb-soaked guitars, or the way Annalee Knies’ vocals feel like they’re offering a gentle nudge rather than a grand proclamation. Either way, it’s a song that feels like a deep inhale—steady, deliberate, and necessary.
Co-produced by Fort Collins pop artist Miranda Fling and Spoon’s Jim Eno (yes, that Jim Eno), “breathing” leans into autumnal’s signature blend of folk storytelling and shoegaze textures. The band—Knies, Geneva Hein, Justice Murray, and Nina Dorighi—has a way of making everything feel intimate yet expansive. The song unfolds like a note-to-self, a quiet reminder that not every moment needs to be a sprint.
STREAM “breathing” AT THE LINKS BELOW
Photo by J Babb
Lyrically, “breathing” is introspective without being heavy-handed. It captures that feeling of being overwhelmed, of needing to slow down, but doing so in a way that’s gentle rather than urgent. It’s the kind of song that makes you want to sit on your bedroom floor, stare at the ceiling, and let your thoughts settle for a while.
autumnal calls their sound “fuzz folk,” and that feels about right—there’s a haziness to their music, but also a grounding warmth. With this track being part of Project Traction Colorado and released under Eno’s label, Public Hi-Fi, it’s exciting to see a band with such an inclusive, DIY ethos getting the kind of recognition they deserve.
If you’ve ever felt the weight of the world on your chest, “breathing” might just be the exhale you need.
“breathing” is out March 7, 2025.
Photo by Jo Babb
- What is breathing about in your own words? What was the writing process like ?
breathing is a song written as a note to self, serving as a reminder that it’s okay to slow down. In the whirlwind of my early twenties I find it hard to keep up with a world moving so fast, and I frequently feel as if i’m not doing enough- fearful that i’m wasting time whenever there’s a stagnant moment. over the summer, i spent months growing my garden. fighting with soil, pulling weeds and protecting my sprouts from rabbits. after touring i came home to find my garden completely dead. I tried reframing my mindset and discovered that although i didn’t wield any crops, I had spent time in quiet thought, caring for the soil. hours in the sun getting vitamin D, and moving my body. Since that moment I’ve been repeating, “if i’m breathing it’s not a waste of time” to myself, in times when i need to slow down. I hope this song can serve as a message to others who find themselves racing to keep up, that it’s important to just breathe, and that that alone can be enough
- Do you have any shows or tours upcoming you would like to plug?
We are heading to SXSW this year to promote the release! We'll be playing some shows on the way down and a bunch of unofficial showcases throughout the week. Later in March, we'll be heading to Treefort Music Fest in Boise, ID for the first time! You can find info about our shows on our instagram.
- if you can go on a "dream tour" with any 2 artists and open for them, who would it be?
Big Thief and Indigo De Souza.