Ethan Gruska has been there all through Phoebe Bridgers’ rise to the top of the singer-songwriter pack. The grandson of Star Wars composer John Williams and one half of the brother-sister duo the Belle Brigade, Gruska has had a hand in producing Bridgers’ 2017 debut, Stranger in the Alps; her one-off collaborations like “Walking on a String” (with the National’s Matt Berninger) and “7 O’Clock News/Silent Night” (with Fiona Apple); and her next solo record, due this spring. Now, the indie phenom has returned the favor, singing background vocals on Gruska’s new song, “Enough For Now.”
There’s a driving, urgent force behind the single, which comes from Gruska’s upcoming LP En Garde. Touches of electronica suggest the Postal Service’s “Such Great Heights” without quite so many early-aughts sad hipster vibes, and with increased levels of indie-pop grandeur in their place. “Maybe I’ll try/Maybe I’ll die trying/To let this be enough for now,” Gruska blithely suggests, as Bridgers joins in for the chorus. Their vocals harmonize over the propelling beat as they both reach an acceptance: “I won’t wish for better luck.”
“I’ve been lucky enough to collaborate on Phoebe’s projects several times, so having her be a part of my record was so fun and exciting,” Gruska tells Rolling Stone. “She’s my most talented friend.”
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En Garde is out January 24th via Warner Bros. Find a playlist of all of our recent Songs You Need to Know selections on Spotify.