For the Faroe Islands-based Anoboi and New England-based Kif Kennedy, what began as a series of intermittent SoundCloud messages exchanged in the midst of quarantine soon led to a full-blown international co-write. Strange times often make for strange collaborations, and although these two music-makers have yet to meet in person, "Hand On My Face" feels both vital and heartfelt.

This Indietronica track explores a disintegrating relationship that was pushed over the edge by a drug-fueled bender, and was inspired by artists like Nothing Nowhere and The 1975. Mixing elements of alternative guitar music with the syncopated rhythms and agile vocal delivery of hip-hop, this pop-friendly track walks the line between brooding, angst-driven melancholy and a seductive sense of emotional intimacy. "Hand On My Face" represents both a detached surrender and a desperate crying out, as the turbulent dynamics between two lovers serves as the impetus for some deep soul-searching.

This transnational collaboration between Anoboi and Kif Kennedy could only have happened in 2020.

Visit Anoboi and Kif Kennedy on SoundCloud.