This Is Our Jam: Orthy, “Sueños”

“This is how we live, us against the world,” begins Orthy’s new single, “Sueños” — a potentially misanthropic sentiment that, sung here, swells with naive contentedness. “Sueños” is Spanish for dreams, which is exactly what the song’s reverb-saturated pop brings to mind: summer sun, cool water, naps in hammocks, and other typically halcyon expressions of youth. The solo project of Ian Orth, known in Austin for throwing parties via Learning Secrets, Orthy’s music feels less like a midnight fete, and more like swimming in the the haze of a sleepy afternoon. As the first lines repeat, it becomes clear that “this is how we live” isn't about how things really are, but how we wish they were, and the song’s title gains new meaning.