Kipsy, “Phantom Islands”

In life, we are constantly given opportunities to venture into uncharted waters. Kipsy’s Patrick Kenny says there is comfort in letting that uncertainty consume you. On his new single “Phantom Island,” he draws from personal experience, telling the tale of a siren drawing a man into the water.

Kipsy is the occasional side project of Kenny, who also plays guitar in the Boston Slowgaze band HUSBANDS. The project started in his basement after the birth of his first child. Kenny has stated that becoming a father reinvigorated his creativity after experiencing a lack of artistic motivation in his early 20s. “It actually made songwriting so much more important to me – being a father definitely amplifies all emotions. The good can be so fucking good and some days can be equally fucking hard. The trick with the latter half is being able to harness that into something else.”

Photo Courtesy of Kipsy

On “Phantom Islands,” Kenny harnesses those challenging moments while flexing his versatility as a musician and a storyteller. As a songwriter, Kenny is used to exploring folklore and the paranormal. In fact, “Kipsy” is the nickname of the Hudson River Monster, a Loch Ness Monster type creature that is rumored to lurk in the depths of the Hudson.

“Phantom Islands” transports the listener to the center of a dark body of water and just as quickly gives faith that you won’t get pulled under. The conversation between the siren and the protagonist feels like both drowning and floating. Kipsy reminds us that there can be beauty in uncertainty. Sometimes surrendering is the best path to peace. 

Stream the single via Soundcloud below.