Hey, a fellow mononym go by-er! Matilyn is a singer-songwriter from California, and under her belt, 5 singles can be found. All of them were released between April and July 2026, so they are all fresh out the oven, and you bet I will shed some light on each and every one of them under the guise of musical journalism today. Alors, c’est parti!
I Love You – 6/10 ★★★☆☆
Right off the bat, I am quite fond of the songstress’ sound. It is very laid-back, primarily piano-driven, with the vocals occupying the driver’s seat – there are no fancy shenanigans or a “gimmick,” so to say, because sometimes flashiness is just not necessary.
I like Matilyn’s voice – it is a comforting, pretty voice, and the melodies it carries are equally as pretty, if occasionally hard to pin down. Unfortunately though, I am not too fond of the lyrics – while the meaning is clear (a relationship gone rogue due to one party going off the deep end), the phrasing feels clunky occasionally. Nonetheless, we persevere.
Do You Love Me? – 7/10 ★★★⋆˙⟡☆
This feels almost like a response song to “I Love You” – like “I love you, do you love me back?” The sound remains acoustic, and I really do appreciate it – it feels organic, and organically dynamic. The lyrics remain a small hurdle to get over, but hey, if the song sounds and feels good, you just have to compromise. I certainly prefer this song to its predecessor, for what it’s worth – it gives the ear a bit more to grasp onto. A little ear candy, if you will.
It’s Not Real – 8/10 ★★★★☆
This is where shit gets real (or not), because yes, ladies and gentlemen, the piano here is doing a little something special – it is more dense and it complements the music perfectly. It appears to me that Matilyn is slowly honing her craft, in spite of all the singles being released to close together chronologically. I assume an album is to come, as each single cover appears to originate from the same photoshoot – I am certainly looking forward to paying such a project a listen, if and when it does come out.
Anyway – “It’s Not Real.” It is funny that this song is titled that, because it is very real – there is a clear alienation at play here, with the narrator feeling conflicted over the interplay of fantasy and reality. This is something I often struggle with myself, and it always feels nice to hear the sentiment echoed in pop music. Well done, Matilyn – you win this round, and this is likely my favorite song of yours. Let’s see how your next tune holds up.
I Know Why – 7/10 ★★★⋆˙⟡☆
This does hold up, alright. The presence of drums makes it feel a bit livelier (as compared to its moodier counterparts, though all of Matilyn’s music is pretty moody and the lyrics can get quite depressing at times), and it reminds me of certain 2010s radio ballads I could name (consult this article’s title). “I Know Why” feels more traditional in that sense, and it kind of feels like home. It resolves in just the way you would want it to, a return to one’s mother land, a return to one’s roots. What can I say? I am a fan of this one, and it comes second only to “It’s Not Real.”
Invisible Scar – 6/10 ★★★☆☆
This one unfortunately does not do much for me, harkening back to “I Love You,” which was equally in-one-ear-out-the-other (so not a lot, but a little bit). It is inoffensive, yes, but it is a little too inoffensive, if you catch my drift. Though I could do without it, it ties into Matilyn’s catalog to date very neatly, with similar production and arrangement. Again, I foresee an album, and I wish to not be mistaken.
Final verdict:
I would totally listen to an album of Matilyn’s music. I know, I know – I am an album fiend, I can’t help it. Though the sound is bare-bones and the lyrics occasionally fall flat, I believe Matilyn’s work would be a more-than-merely-pleasant soundtrack to a downtown adventure, especially one in the July heat (Greek summers are intense – I will take all the consolation I can). So, where is the album? I will be waiting for it, but until then, I will be bumping “It’s Not Real” a bunch – because it kind of is not real, indeed. Life is hard, but music always finds a way.
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