This week, much of the Western world will be taking part in a commercially fired-up and rather odd ritual of roses, hearts, chocolates, small gifts etc. almost exclusively aimed at couples. The same question that comes up every year, is what are the partner-less supposed to do on Valentine’s Day? For some, it’s easy enough to ignore, some embrace the day in all their glorious singledom, while for others it can all be a painful reminder of lost love. That last scenario is what we’re dealing with on ‘X Valentine’, which GEMS’ Lindsay Pitts poignantly elaborates: “The song came out of an intensely emotional experience when I returned home over Christmas, found boxes of old photos and letters and realized this Valentine’s Day will be the first in almost a decade that Clifford and I won’t spend together.” It’s a track that bears raw human experience of a pair weathering a romantic rift while maintaining their creative connection. It’s given the L.A. by way of D.C. pair new scope on their songwriting, which is typically dark-pop with John Clifford Usher’s heavily atmospheric, dreamy production. Although ‘X Valentine’ details serious emotional strife, dulled down by throwing out mementos and “staying high to kill the doubt,” it has a relatively upbeat aesthetic. Particularly in the yacht-club-pop-esque chorus where both musicians give way to nostalgia through springy bass, bombastic synths, maracas and electric guitar that mix into a swirling dance around the 2:25 mark. This finishing impression cements the track’s ultimate goals as “a recognition of a past great love and the resilience that two people share as they move forward through life alone.” - HT