Ruby Landen

For Ruby Landen, writing a song is an act of owning your experience. The Brooklyn-based
singer-songwriter is known for crafting dexterous melodies and emotionally-charged lyrics
alongside sparse instrumentation and loose, gentle rhythms. On debut album Martyr, well,
Landen offers a cathartic charge, masterfully exploring both sorrow and euphoria in a way that
transforms resentment and grief into a blend of serenity and liberating self-assurance. Written
during a time of deep melancholy in Landen’s life, the album sees a lifelong existential crisis
come to the forefront. While this internal process puts a spotlight on those darker, more
pessimistic thoughts, Martyr, well also creates a portal in which we too, can face our demons.

Martyr, well is the sound of an artist honoring their past, and the often tumultuous journey it
takes to leave the confines of agitation and anxiety. There’s power in exploring the moments
that have shaped us, allowing Landen to carve out a lustral environment, where sorrow and
despair is bravely amplified. With an affecting emotional candor that steers towards stark
honesty, Landen’s debut album shows an artist unafraid to dive deeper. With infinitely layered
textures and carefully constructed dynamics, Martyr, well doesn’t shy away from the difficult
reality of those who have felt trapped by circumstance or experience; instead, it creates a
communal catharsis, a much-needed mirror, that we all so deeply crave.

By Sammy Maine