[Listen] Está Vivo - "Smile Back"

Chicago native Ryan McMahon's solo project Está Vivo is not only an exploration into summery, tropical sounds, but also into the intricacies of romance and love. His latest single "Smile Back," which premiered on Earmilk last week, is described by the musician as being inspired by "a woman I kept seeing last summer walk down the street by my house, in which I kind of became infatuated with but whenever I were to see her I was always too shy to introduce myself. After the summer, she kind of just disappeared and I haven't seen her since." It's this disappearance that lends to such a focused song, as the infatuation felt throughout the summer is captured perfectly by the sounds that make up the song. Whether it is the feel-good xylophone, the subtle percussion or McMahon's laid back vocals, everything about the song feels grounded in the summer season, and that's what makes it so good. Give the song a listen below.

"Smile Back" will be featured on Está Vivo's upcoming release Befitting Flesh, and make sure to follow the artist on Twitter and Facebook, as well as visit his Bandcamp.