Songbirds and Sirens’ single ‘Somewhere’ is an electro dream pop piece which explores grief by focusing on the questions that remain after we have lost someone we love. Rather than offering a definite answer, the song remains with the uncertainty about death and inquires whether the person had regrets, whether they had made the choices they desired, or whether they had left some dreams unrealised. Because of this, ‘Somewhere’ has a reflective character, the song being more concerned with the thoughts that persist after loss than with explaining it.
The questions at the beginning “Why never did I ask a question? / Why didn’t I try to find out?” right away create the feeling that some things have remained unsaid. The song then goes on to look at the various aspects of another person’s life which can never really be fully understood. This ongoing state of uncertainty is a key feature of how the song is written, and the statement “Grief is never graceful” recognizes the harsh truth of losing someone. Nevertheless, “Somewhere” doesn’t stay completely in despair, since it does allow hope to show itself in the idea that dreams and the people we have lost might in some way carry on elsewhere.
The ideas are given an atmospheric backdrop by means of ethereal electronic textures, dreamy arpeggiated synths and electric guitars which have been subjected to reverb. Together with these, some restrained pop elements are included in the arrangement, and the open-ended nature of the production allows the questions embedded in the song to stay clearly noticeable. The blend of electronic textures and guitar is what gives the track its dreamy character and helps it move smoothly from feelings of grief and uncertainty to the fragile possibility of hope, without in any way overpowering the main message.
The song ends by picturing a place in which there are “no regrets”, a place where dreams go on and perhaps unanswered questions can finally be understood. This image of such a place offers a mild transition from the uncertainty introduced earlier in the song without suggesting that grief can be easily put right. By focusing on the questions about love, loss and the life of a person who is dead, the song allows those emotions to remain. “Somewhere” is a thoughtful examination of grief, influenced by the atmospheric production and the direct emotional quality of the songwriting.
