One impression you may have of Sam Setton’s single ‘Santiago’ is that it’s made up of a set of imaginary circumstances and preformed voicemail messages, it’s not a uncommon idea in the music industry, but where this NYC artist departs from the facade is with the revelation that this love song is based on a true part of his life, one that has been prominent for the past six years. As he explains, this “is the most meaningful song I’ve ever written. Although modern sounding, “Santiago” is actually a song 6 years in the making. It’s the story of an ongoing relationship I have with a girl I met while visiting Santiago, Chile 6 years ago. I had initially gone to Santiago to see family and learn about the culture and country my mother grew up in, but I ended up starting a friendship and falling in love with this amazing woman.” He even inserts voice notes into the track, ones that express that time and distance hasn’t been easy, but it hasn’t eroded the feelings that these star-crossed lovers share. As for the track itself, it’s a modern electronic-pop production with a hint of Chilean flavour in the dance-step rhythms, but it would appear firmly rooted in the American music scene, especially in the glitchy rework around the 2:10 mark. One thing you can’t fail to notice is Setton’s voice which moves from falsetto intimacy to poppy charisma to soulful declarations of love; it reflects the emotional rollercoaster that you can only imagine this young artist has been on for the past six years. It’s a journey we’ll be hearing more of in the coming months, ‘Santiago’ being the first of many heartbreak inspired tracks. - Hannah Thacker