‘Hangnail’ finds Kels Taylor using the Losem project to move into a more forceful and experimental version of their songwriting.
The Nashville-based artist has described Losem as a departure from their classical and folk-rock background, and this new single reflects that shift clearly. Here, the track uses heavier dynamics and a more expansive arrangement to explore a subject that’s intensely personal: the habit of getting in your own way.
Self-sabotage is the central idea, as the artist writes about recognising the behaviours that hinder progress while still finding them difficult to break. It gives ‘Hangnail’ a sense of frustration that runs through both the lyrics and the broader presentation of the song.
Producer Matt Bolton also plays an important role in shaping the track. Taylor initially records stripped-back demos at home before bringing them into Bolton’s studio, where the pair develop the arrangements further. He also contributes additional instrumentation, helping expand the original ideas without losing the directness of the songwriting.
The influence of Hayley Williams and Mannequin Pussy can be heard in the wider approach to the project, particularly in the combination of emotionally open writing and more intense arrangements. However, ‘Hangnail’ remains focused on establishing Losem’s own identity instead of closely imitating any one reference point.
That makes the single significant within their wider development. Ultimately, Losem offers a space where vulnerability can be presented with greater volume and less restraint than in their earlier work.
‘Hangnail’ isn’t here to resolve the problem it describes. Instead, it documents the tension of recognising a destructive pattern while still being caught inside it, using a heavier musical framework to give that frustration a clear and immediate form.