Tony Frissore’s “Self Soothe” is a creates a quiet, calming space. It sounds less like a song and more like a soft exhale. The single is based on the warm sounds of lo-fi and chill-hop and invites listeners to take a break, which is something that is becoming less common and very much needed. From the very first notes, there is a deliberate softness, a sound that is meant to cradle rather than overwhelm.

“Self Soothe” works well because it is so simple. The production is simple yet full of emotion, giving each part room to breathe. Like a steady heartbeat, subtle rhythms pulse. Like passing thoughts, airy melodies come and go. This song doesn’t force you to pay attention, it naturally draws you in, making you want to slow down and connect with yourself.

The purpose of this release is what makes it so interesting. Frissore doesn’t just make music, he makes people feel things. The song is about mindfulness and gently guides the listener through a cycle of tension and release. Its structure has a quiet repetition that is like breathing, inhale, exhale, repeat. It gets close to being meditative, giving you a sense of peace without ever feeling still.

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“Sweetmouth (Sugar Free)” is an extremely reflective acoustic EP that guides you through its six tracks as it explores memory, identity, and emotional reconciliation. Created at a moment of deep discovery, the project reveals KENTON’s process of forgiving others, of realizing who he is within himself, and of internally processing what he experienced as a queer Asian American child growing up in the United States.

The EP opens with “I’m Breaking My Father’s Heart – Acoustic,” a gentle track about the disconnection between what parents desire and what you believe is true. “Never Born – Acoustic” is inward-looking, exploring the existential uncertainty of financial suffering at home and prayers that hang in the air, unanswered.

“Let Light In – Live” is a release that captures emotional awakening, where letting go of past pain is the first step toward recovery. “Without You – Acoustic” is one of the most affecting moments on the EP, which recounts a tough relationship with a sick father. “Wannabe American – Acoustic” laments the falseness of the American Dream and how it commodifies the Asian identity.

On the final song, “The Times – Acoustic,” KENTON directs strength toward a message of survival, hope, and endurance in an emotionally suffocating world. “Sweetmouth (Sugar Free)” is also the voice of the collective, and it’s a gift to immigrant and queer youth searching for belonging in spaces that often do not welcome them.

Photo credit: Ricky Chavez

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