The Nuanced Notes of Breakup: Demeter’s ‘Your Oracle (Is Showing)’ Single Review

Demeter is here to tell the world “Your Oracle (Is Showing)” with their latest single, coming out on 17th November via Revolver. 

In 2020, the year of the infamous pandemic, Daniel Bloch, Tim Bustle, John Mason, Ian McNally, and Kate Rivera formed the five-piece indie rock band Demeter in Brooklyn, New York, and released their debut EP, The Year of Goodbye. Since then, the band has received a big round of applause from locations all over the world, achieving widespread recognition. Demeter labels their music as ‘poetry-focused’ and ‘infused with multiple genres,’ with a sound that is at once primarily falling into the category of indie rock.

“Your Oracle (Is Showing)” transcends the typical break-up song narrative with its ethereal daze, addressing how people blame their faults on things they have no control over. Traces of Big Thief, REM, and Regina Spektor influence its sound, with a chorus that resonates with anyone ready to let go of the past. I also hear bits of Sara Bareilles in the vocals, which will send listeners back to the good ol’ days of the noughties.

Listen to Your Oracle (Is Showing) by Demeter on Spotify

A laid-back feeling pairs nicely with a gently permeating melancholy, sweeping through the track; Bloch’s lighter bass tones and Mason’s drums softly caress the aural soundscape with Bustle’s piano touches, not to mention McNally’s acoustic strums and Rivera’s intimate, delicate vocals (noticeably at the end of the track). There’s a subtle jazz element here, too, adding to the song’s complexity and depth as it weaves through its choral and heavy undertones.

In the beginning, lead vocalist Kate Rivera explains she doesn’t know how she feels. Her relationship has run its course, despite wanting to cling to it: “Phone calls come and letters go/Silence tells you more than you want to know.” One party attempts to make the relationship easier by blaming the occult or their father, as shown by lyrics like: “Blame it on the sun/Blame it on the father.”

Rivera wants to know where the other person’s intentions are coming from: “Tell me where your oracle is writing from.” Is this person genuine or will they try to absolve themselves of blame? When we humans have relationship issues, we often try to avoid responsibility, preferring to blame something like divination, for example, as mentioned in the lyric: “Reading tea leaves, speaking tongues, tracing lines on hands to where the heart belongs,” But, sometimes, those attempts to reassure oneself fall through, and so we go back to blaming the wrong things for our issues, ignoring each other. 

As the song picks up momentum toward the end, Rivera mentions her mother says she shouldn’t ‘hang around’ with her partner, inspiring her to move on from the relationship. Shedding light on relationship fallout, Rivera’s final note mentions ‘the awful way’ we change our minds and decide not to pursue a relationship anymore, accompanied by Bustle’s peaceful piano notes and McNally’s acoustic, adding dashes of musical colour to her statement. 

This song is one for the broken-hearted, and Demeter can help nurse those wounds with their musical grace, reminding listeners of their own innate power – with or without the aid of divination. Have a listen to “Your Oracle (Is Showing)” on your favourite streaming platform. For an even deeper connection, follow Demeter on Instagram, Facebook and Youtube to stay updated with their latest releases and behind-the-scenes content. Follow IAMUR on Instagram to join our vibrant community of music lovers and be the first to catch our fresh takes on the tunes that move us, and check out more reviews here.