In the “City of Sails,” Microbes Ask What You’re Really Selling

Microbes recently dropped “City of Sails,” and it instantly feels like a reflection of where they come from—split between Aotearoa, New Zealand, and Rarotonga. Jacob Connor and Allister Ainsworth are the duo behind Microbes. They like to keep things very minimal, but there’s intention in every sound. You can feel Jacob and Allister building every track together, and that DIY approach really works in their favor.

“Microbes craft slow, introspective indie rock that quietly sits with your thoughts.”

“City of Sails” moves slowly, almost like it’s taking pauses to think before speaking. It really feels like a quiet reflection on consumerism and identity, questioning what we trade away just to exist in a system like this. The vocals sit soft and slightly detached, subtly matching that sense of emotional numbness and commercial chaos. Instrumentally, the track stays calm indie rock, but there’s an underlying tension that never fully resolves. It doesn’t try to overwhelm you with its heavy theme; instead, it slowly makes you sit with uncomfortable truths.

Test the melody down here:

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