Spellling has always appeared to be a mystical, magical sort of human with a magnetic and mysterious aura, but she dives even deeper into that enchantress energy on “Little Deer” — the first single off her forthcoming record The Turning Wheel.
The track opens with circulating strings before we hear ghostly “ah’s” float over the instrumentation. It’s slightly haunting and has a tinge of darkness and foreboding. She then transitions surprisingly and effortlessly to a retro, r&b-style groove. Employing a wide variety of instruments, the dynamic shift between the two sounds, and the incomparably catchy hook, “Little Deer” delivers a certain level of drama and theatrics that is sorely missing in most modern music. It’s also refreshingly unique and unlike anything I’ve heard as of late, or possible ever. Spellling is fully capable of creating an entire universe and we’re all fortunate enough that we can visit it for 5 minutes and change.
“Little Deer” was inspired by Frida Kahlo’s Wounded Deer. Much like Kahlo’s painting, “Little Deer” deals with what could be overwhelming subject matter like karma and reincarnation in a way that is effective without being heavy handed. Spellling references the painting directly in the lyrics, “the arrows hurt you, fly to you,” while acknowledging that she sees herself in this deer as well. Spellling goes through the life cycle of the deer and their life together before recommending that the deer leave her. She ends the song with an instrumental cliff hanger of sorts — like the listener is snapped out of a dream. Or spell, if you will.