Since the release of his debut album “The Dichotomy“ in 2024, David Kushner has been in his musical laboratory cooking up new music. His hidden agenda came to fruition on Valentine’s Day when he released his newest EP: “20 Years From Now.”
“This EP has been on my heart for a long time. It’s raw. It’s personal,” Kushner wrote on his Instagram. “For anyone who’s seen their parents struggle, who’s questioned what love will look like years down the road, this one’s for you.”
Where’s Lana?
The whiff of new music was in the air on Dec. 6 when Kushner released his version of a Christmas carol. “Empty Bench“ is written for those that find it difficult to feel the happiness that others feel around the holidays. It is a somber track that highlights the loneliness that some feel that they have to bury under the facade of Christmas Spirit. The song took the penultimate place on his EP.
The album was teased yet again with the preliminary marketing of another included track: “Breathe In, Breathe Out.” Rick Nowels, the producer known for his collaboration with Lana Del Rey, produced the song.
All of Kushner’s marketing was intended to garner Del Rey’s attention in an attempt to feature her on the track, a quest that came to no avail. The love song was released ahead of the EP on Jan. 31 along with a music video featuring its intended muse, Kushner’s long-time girlfriend, Nicole Mitchell.
This One Is Special
The opening track entitled “Love Worth Saving” is a visceral depiction of the hope for a love that will stand the test of time. The song asks the questions that define any relationship.
”Will we die old and angry?” “Were you happy all these years?” “Is this love worth saving?”
The lyrics dance with the idea of questioning whether to abandon a strained relationship and the hardships that come with that decision.
Incongruously, “Ends With You“ describes a hopeful kind of love. Its lyrics describe a relationship that overcomes explosive obstacles and finds its way out of the rubble, specifically in the line, “I hear the bombs going off tonight, but I believe we’ll see the other side.”
The music takes a hard left in “Beautiful Things Don’t Ask For Attention,” where Kushner explores the feeling of a love that is slipping away. The track describes the helpless feeling associated with an uncontrollable fade in a once vibrantly romantic connection.
Despite the roller-coaster of emotions present in the discography, “Safe in My Arms“ describes Kushner’s truest love. No doubt inspired by his current relationship, the lyrics present a love that he believes will stand the test of time. He sings, “I’ll keep finding more beauty in you as time goes.”
The EP follows Kushner on his journey of losing faith in love as a steadfast figure in his life. It is a truly introspective panorama that reads like an anthem for those who lack an example of what real love looks like. Accompanying the release of the EP, Kushner revealed its inspiration on his Instagram.
“It’s everything I’ve wrestled with — the weight of love, the fear of losing it, watching relationships crack under time, under silence, under things left unsaid,” he wrote. “Hope this EP finds you the way it found me. Thank you for listening.”
A • Feb 26, 2025 at 4:04 pm
This was a great read.