The producer Ryan Hemsworth has been around for a while now, and he’s worked with artists from Mitski to Tinashe. Hemsworth recently unveiled a new project called Quarter-Life Crisis, and it’s built around the idea of collaboration. Hemsworth comes up with the music, and then he works with different singers who come up with their own themes and lyrics. Next month, Hemsworth will release the self-titled debut EP from Quarter-Life Crisis. We’ve already posted two early tracks: “Postcard From Spain,” with Hop Along’s Frances Quinlan, and “Waterfall,” with Hovvdy’s Charlie Martin. Today, Hemsworth has gotten together with Hand Habits mastermind Meg Duffy for a new track called “Comfortable.”

Hand Habits released the excellent album placeholder two years ago, and Duffy is also a great collaborator. In the past few months,
Duffy has worked with Jess Williamson and Angel Olsen, and they’re currently in the Perfume Genius live band. On “Comfortable,” Duffy sings softly over a hazy bed of synths. The song is awfully pretty, and you can hear it below.

In a press release, Duffy says:

When I was asked to do a writing session with Ryan, I had no idea who he was or what his music sounded like or what his life may be like. I completely showed up to this weird little studio completely blind to predisposition, a little embarrassed because the first time Ryan and I tried to connect I accidentally no-showed him after writing in the date on my analog calendar wrong. I had never done any sort of co-writing session before and was a little nervous, but since I had no investment I went in with the intention of having fun and being open to whatever spirits wanted to move. We threw autotune on as a joke (half-joke because I can be pretty pitchy especially in the writing process) and it sounded kind of cool. I started thinking about AI and cyborgs and people/souls disassociating from bodies and identity and kind of just freestyled until a mildly understandable common theme started to swim up. It was really fun!!

The Quarter-Life Crisis EP is out 12/4 on Saddle Creek. Pre-order it here.