The Setting Son Triumphantly Returns With a Retro Fueled Masterstroke in "I Still Can’t Decide What I Want"
- STAFF
- 2 hours ago
- 4 min read
By: Staff
Radiant, unpredictable, and emotionally magnetic—The Setting Son delivers a sonic knockout in "I Still Can’t Decide What I Want".
We absolutely loved the latest release from The Setting Son, and “I Still Can’t Decide What I Want” instantly made its way onto our must-revisit list. We headed straight to YouTube to experience the official music video, and it proved to be a vibrant, visually captivating companion to the track.
From the outset, the song greets you with an energetic, upbeat guitar arrangement and an intricate layering of electric and acoustic tones that create a robust, almost cinematic fullness. There’s an unorthodox rhythmic lilt to the melodies that feels simultaneously glowing and unpredictable, giving the track a buoyant drive and a contagious sense of momentum.
The visuals open with the band performing in the background, silhouetted dancers moving in the foreground, and stylized text fluttering across the screen. It’s a brilliant stylistic nod to 1960s dance clips, with a modern twist that echoes the song’s fusion of retro soul and contemporary edge. The homage doesn’t feel imitative; rather, it breathes new life into a familiar aesthetic, reimagining it with playful reverence and creative flair.
What also stood out immediately was the vocal performance delivered by frontman Sebastian T.W. Kristiansen. His tone is distinct, and the way he moves between urgency and cool detachment reveals a mastery of contrast. His voice veers from powerful, commanding phrases to lines delivered with a laid-back, effortless poise, like a swing between chaos and calm that keeps the ear engaged at every turn. Kristiansen’s vocals carry this magnetic command while still feeling accessible, as if you're hearing a sharp frontman in full control while watching a backyard party unfold around him. We felt like this was a performance like nothing we had ever experienced before, and we absolutely loved it.
Following that, what also elevated the experience was the instrumental cohesion and technical finesse: Adam Olsson’s lead guitar work shines with crisp articulation and an expressive rawness, oscillating between blistering bluesy licks and jangling cosmic flourishes that evoke both nostalgia and innovation. A particularly brilliant moment comes during the solo, gritty, soaring, and almost vocal in its phrasing, as if each note is crying out with intention. It pushes the emotional bandwidth of the song right to its limit and rewards the listener with a final flourish that lands like a punctuation mark.
Tobias Winberg anchors the track with a warm, driving bassline that pulses beneath the arrangement, giving the song a grounded undercurrent even as the guitars reach skyward. It’s subtle in presence but vital in impact, especially in the verses where the rhythmic push pulls the listener closer. Meanwhile, Adam Winberg’s work on drums is a quiet triumph of taste and detail. His use of ghost notes adds a soft tension, keeping a continuous thread of groove that never overpowers but always contributes. The percussion is smartly restrained and beautifully placed, each touch crafted to serve the mood without drawing attention to itself, yet impossible to miss in its effectiveness.
As the video progresses, we’re treated to joyful edits of dancers, genuine, smiling faces that seem pulled from a dream. Their carefree movements and vintage styling perfectly echo the '60s essence hinted at in the audio, adding further charm and continuity to the visual story. What also amplified the visual charm were moments of dreamy theatricality, were the beautiful women blowing kisses as bubbles and shimmering confetti fell from the sky, a whimsical, almost surreal layer that heightened the party-like atmosphere with style.
“I Still Can’t Decide What I Want” is a fantastic reminder of how nostalgia and modernity can collide in ways that feel both familiar and thrillingly fresh. The Setting Son brings more than just retro aesthetics; they offer technical sophistication, stylistic clarity, and an emotional authenticity that lands with real impact.
The Setting Son’s "I Still Can’t Decide What I Want" is a bold fusion of retro cool and modern brilliance, executed with irresistible swagger.
We're already marking our calendars for the June release of Cul-De-Sac because if this single is any indication, The Setting Son isn’t just back, they’re making a statement.
The Setting Son’s origin story is as compelling as their sound. Formed in Copenhagen in 2006, the band blends garage rock, psychedelic pop, and fuzzy, melody-laced textures with an unmistakable Scandinavian grit. Frontman Sebastian T.W. Kristiansen, a self-taught songwriter, began recording his ideas on a 4-track in a modest Østerbro apartment. His early work caught the attention of Lorenzo Woodrose, known for his work with Baby Woodrose and Spids Nøgenhat, who helped the band land a deal with Bad Afro Records. What followed was a string of releases that cemented The Setting Son as a defining voice in Denmark’s underground rock circuit. With a sound that mixes emotional weight with vintage cool, their music carved out a distinctive identity that stood out in a crowded scene. After a lengthy hiatus, their return is less a revival and more a reinvention, and fans both old and new are taking notice.
We're so excited to have found and can’t wait to hear more from The Setting Son!
Don’t miss your chance to discover your next obsession—playlist, stream and share "I Still Can’t Decide What I Want" by The Setting Son.
