In 2018, listeners in Milwaukee and far beyond were formally introduced to Amanda Huff, when the singer-songwriter released her solo debut, Hemiptera. The outstanding effort—which we named the sixth best Milwaukee album of that year—was a genre-jumping artistic exercise that included lounge-y jaunts, summer-suited pop songs, mournful numbers with captivating vocals and flamenco guitars, and even an electronic take on a Chris Isaak song.
While the entire album is commendable, Huff’s best work of the year actually came after Hemiptera‘s release, when the multi-faceted musician put out “Gravetalking,” a single that found her and producer William Gardiner (who releases music under the moniker of This Random Machine) pushing her material to new and even more exciting places. This Random Machine joined forces with Huff again in 2019, when the pair released a dour and digitized song called “Division.” With a proven track record at this point and some impressive output already in their pocket, Huff and Gardiner have decided to make the partnership official and start a full-fledged new project together.
The new endeavor is called, You Win !!! and today, the self-described “trip-hop/dark pop” duo released the project’s first single. “Shrap.nel” picks up where “Gravetalking” and “Division” left off, as Huff’s delicate voice and arresting arrangements are accented by This Random Machine’s futuristic production touches. Mark Stewart (GGOOLLDD, Pharo) also added some percussion on the track, and Justin Perkins at Mystery Room Mastering mastered the single. We’re told “Shrap.nel” will be part of a debut album the group plans to release sometime in 2021. You Win !!! plans to put out another single as well as a music video for “Shrap.nel” before the end of this year. As you anxiously await to hear what’s next from Huff and This Random Machine, you can stream “Shrap.nel” below.