For the Faroe Islands-based Anoboi and New England-based Kif Kennedy, what began as a series of intermittent SoundCloud messages exchanged in the midst of quarantine soon led to a full-blown international co-write. Strange times often make for strange collaborations, and although these two music-makers have yet to meet in person, "Hand On My Face" feels both vital and heartfelt.

This Indietronica track explores a disintegrating relationship that was pushed over the edge by a drug-fueled bender, and was inspired by artists like Nothing Nowhere and The 1975. Mixing elements of alternative guitar music with the syncopated rhythms and agile vocal delivery of hip-hop, this pop-friendly track walks the line between brooding, angst-driven melancholy and a seductive sense of emotional intimacy. "Hand On My Face" represents both a detached surrender and a desperate crying out, as the turbulent dynamics between two lovers serves as the impetus for some deep soul-searching.

I took my heart out
Put it in the ground
And in the darkness
You were moving your mouth around

This transnational collaboration between Anoboi and Kif Kennedy could only have happened in 2020.

Visit Anoboi and Kif Kennedy on SoundCloud.