St.MARTiiNS’ new single “My Girl” is an infectiously sweet end-of-summer bop

There are certain kinds of human connection that occur once in a lifetime. Many of us have at least one person in our lives we knew we’d build such a bond with from the moment we met, and sometimes - if we’re really lucky - that bond may lead us to create something distinctly inspired by it.

For high-school BFFs Katie Lynch and Mark Johnston of Dundee dream-pop duo St.MARTiiNS, this was precisely the case, and their undeniable chemistry is palpable in their latest lo-fi single, “My Girl.” “My Girl” is effortlessly chill yet spunkily reminiscent of The Japanese House - albeit, more pop-leaning. Feeling akin to entering their own enchanted sonic world, breezy production carries Lynch’s dreamy vocal whilst supported by wavy guitar, R&B drumbeats and sparse background vocals.

Johnston and Lynch don’t typically dip their toes too far into the pool of jazz-inspired tunes—more often than not incorporating only certain elements of the genre—but they subvert that tendency for the sake of the freedom of this song. “When we first started playing ‘My Girl' the joke was that it was the furthest into jazz styling we would go,” they said about writing the track. “The song developed and is one of our only genuinely fun and free songs”.

Even though “My Girl” maintains the duo’s indistinguishable soundscape, this track allowed them to drift out of their comfort zone and solidify their strength as a band, demonstrating the importance of trust, playfulness, and letting go of your inhibitions in order to create freely and authentically. In a way, this ethos mirrors the more literal meaning of the song.

”’My Girl’ is about my friendships with my best female friends and how simultaneously annoying and fulfilling they have been,” continues Lynch. Amidst all the clutter and confusion of everyday life St.MARTiiNS retain the very thing that drew them to make music together in the first place; friendship and a sense of belonging.