CS Hellmann’s ‘In My Head’ arrives like the opening chapter of an artist stepping fully into their own shadow and light. It’s a two-track EP that feels deceptively small on paper, yet expansive in spirit; offering a boundless dive into the messy, beautiful places where truth begins to surface. Nashville may be the backdrop, but the world Hellmann builds here is far removed from twang and tradition; instead it drifts toward nocturnal synthcraft, emotional excavation, and a cinematic sense of scale that leaves a lasting impression.
What instantly stands out is the partnership with producer Jared Corder, whose fingerprints are all over the EP’s atmospheric reach. Together, they create a world with enormous depth. These tracks feel as big as they sound, like the inside of a dream where every whispered doubt echoes against the walls.
The title track ‘In My Head’ provides a polished, synth-forward mantra about longing for more while navigating the grind. The decision to pair Hellmann’s baritone with a haunting, feminine vocal counter-layer (created through experimental AI processing) is nothing short of inspired. It gives the song an otherworldly duality, as though two versions of the same person are singing to each other from opposite ends of the same hallway.
While ‘Love I Left Behind’ is the emotional core of the project. It’s a confession sealed inside a slow-build storm cloud, driven by a rhythmic pulse that feels both human and mechanical. He sings from a place of reckoning, tracing the fragile line between consequence and hope. The vocal delivery sits low and wounded, like someone staring at their reflection in the mirror for the first time in years.
The production throughout is meticulous but unobtrusive. Retro touches fold into modern sensibilities, creating a sound that’s nostalgic without becoming derivative. Both songs breathe, and both hint at an artist poised for an evolution far beyond the boundaries of this EP.
If this EP is the prologue to a larger body of work, the next chapter can’t come soon enough. CS Hellmann has found an identity that feels both deeply personal and wonderfully expansive; the kind of alt-darkwave dreamscape that belongs on late-night drives, long walks, and any moment where the world feels too heavy to carry alone.
