Up and Comers Music

The sound of hitting the wall

Colour of Heartache’s “How Do I?” is a brooding, atmospheric track with a definite trip-hop vibe, channeling the spectral moods of Portishead and The XX. The London-based duo, who formed in early 2025, use this debut single to explore the suffocating cycle of being addicted to the wrong person – that feeling of wanting to move on when someone has gotten completely under your skin. The synth rhythm weaves nicely with the female lead vocals, creating a canvas that is both sparse and heavy, effectively capturing the desperation of a heart with “no space left to crawl.”

This isn’t just a throwback to 90s Bristol; it’s more dream pop with a jagged edge. A standout texture is the guitar echoing under the vocals, adding a layer that softens the track’s melancholy. Spoken word segments layered beneath the chorus lines – a cinematic choice that recalls the experimental pop of 2000s-era Madonna – feels like an internal monologue breaking through to the surface. And just as you settle into the groove, the song closes with the single word: “stop.” It’s a punctuation mark that suggests the sudden, painful realisation: that a relationship is dead.

“How Do I?” is a debut that balances nostalgia with a modern, clinical directness. It seems to ask: When we are addicted to the wrong people, do we ever really find the strength to walk away, or do we just wait for them to end it for us? Tell us what you think: Is the abrupt “stop” at the end a sign of strength, or an admission of defeat?

Stream How Do I? here and follow Colour of Heartache on Instagram to stay up to date on their latest.

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-Stephen Choi for Up and Comers