From Elliott Smith, to Bon Iver, and Iron & Wine, the power of a whispered vocal over the sound of an acoustic guitar endures. A doubled-stereo track of guitar, and the same from the vocal: it only works when the song itself can carry the weight.

Here, the plain sound of the acoustic guitar and the occasional fretted-string buzz stand together as a testament to the authenticity of the moment, while the vocal works slowly and deliberately to insert disparate images into the narrative. It's a masterpiece of understatement and fragility: the sound of introspection itself.

House Of Wolves is the solo music project of California native Rey Villalobos. This song is featured on our Rainy Day playlist.