Emily Yacina’s “Arcades & Highways” Celebrates Long-Distance Love

The New York-based DIY singer-songwriter and frequent (Sandy) Alex G collaborator Emily Yacina is releasing her studio debut, Remember the Silver, in a little less than two weeks. We’ll have the entire record on Dec. 6, but for now, she’s given us a final single to put on repeat: “Arcades & Highways,” a sweet, breezy tune that Yacina says celebrates “the easy side of love.”

Each of Remember the Silver’s singles has had a different vibe: “Gleaming” glides from choppy to ethereal, while “Bleachers” was loping and melancholy. Listening to “Arcades & Highways” is like being wrapped up in a warm cocoon: “I need you to swallow me,” Yacina duets with guest vocalist Rachel Levy, and it feels an embrace.

The track is buoyant and bittersweet as it recounts the rare moments of blissful togetherness in a long-distance relationship. “Do you want to marry me / In the hotel by the airport before you have to leave?” asks Yacina. Levy’s rich vocals offer a beautiful complement to Yacina’s, as does cello from Kate Sopcich. Levy (fka R.L. Kelly) released two tracks earlier this year, and has previously released split singles with Spencer Radcliffe and (Sandy) Alex G.

Listen to “Arcades & Highways” below.