Music can be weirdly therapeutic. Sometimes you don't need a heavy beat or a complex electronic layer to feel something. You just need voices. Specifically, four voices that blend so perfectly they sound like a single, multi-tonal instrument. That’s exactly what happens in And So It Is, a standout track by the indie-folk quartet Darlingside. If you haven’t sat down and actually listened to it—not just had it on in the background while doing dishes—you’re missing out on a masterclass in vocal harmony.
It’s folk. But also not quite.
The band describes their style as "string rock," though that feels a bit aggressive for a song that feels like a warm blanket. Released on their 2015 album Birds Say, the track has quietly become a staple for anyone who curates "study vibes" or "Sunday morning" playlists. Honestly, it’s the kind of music that makes you want to go buy a cabin in the woods, even if you hate mosquitoes.
The Magic Behind the Single Mic
Most bands record in booths. They wear heavy headphones, separated by glass, layering their tracks one by one until a producer stitches them together. Darlingside doesn't really do that. For And So It Is, and much of their live performance history, they use a single large-diaphragm condenser microphone.
They crowd around it. Literally.
Don Mitchell, Auyon Mukharji, Harris Paseltiner, and David Senft stand in a tight semi-circle, physically moving closer to or further from the mic to mix their own volume. It’s an old-school bluegrass technique, but they apply it to a sound that feels distinctly modern and cinematic. When you listen to the harmonies in the chorus, that’s not digital magic. It’s four guys who have spent a decade learning how to breathe at the same time. This physical proximity creates a "bloom" in the sound that you just can't replicate with software.
Why the Lyrics Hit Different
The lyrics aren't trying to be an epic poem. They’re impressionistic. They talk about shadows, the passage of time, and a sense of resigned peace. "And so it is," as a phrase, carries a lot of weight. It’s not "and so it shall be" (which sounds like a threat) or "and so it was" (which feels like a eulogy). It’s present tense. Acceptance.
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There’s a specific line about "the shadow of the bird" that always sticks with people. It’s a small detail, but it captures that feeling of seeing something fleeting and realizing it’s gone before you can even point it out to someone else. Life moves. We watch it move. And so it is.
Is It Folk or Chamber Pop?
Music critics love to put things in boxes. Darlingside makes that difficult. While they use traditional instruments—mandolin, violin, cello, and acoustic guitar—their arrangements are closer to a classical string quartet than a standard folk band.
You won't find a heavy drum kit here. Instead, they use subtle percussion, sometimes just a kick drum or a tambourine, to keep the pulse. This allows the mid-range of the strings to breathe. In And So It Is, the arrangement builds so slowly you almost don't notice the intensity rising until the final chorus hits and the vocal stack reaches its peak. It’s a "slow burn" track.
People often compare them to Simon & Garfunkel. That’s fair, but it’s also a bit reductive. While the 60s folk influence is clearly there, Darlingside adds a layer of indie-rock sensibility—think Fleet Foxes meet Punch Brothers. They aren't just imitating the past; they’re using those vintage vocal textures to tell stories that feel relevant to the anxiety of the 21st century.
The Gear That Creates the Atmosphere
If you're a gear nerd, you’ll notice the textures are incredibly clean. They aren't hiding behind distortion. The mandolin (played by Auyon Mukharji) often provides the rhythmic "click" that a hi-hat would usually handle. Meanwhile, the cello (Harris Paseltiner) provides the low-end warmth that keeps the song from feeling too airy or "floaty."
- The Vocal Stack: They often sing in "block" harmonies, meaning three or four notes are being hit simultaneously throughout almost the entire song.
- The Lyrical Cadence: Notice how the syllables often mirror the plucking of the strings. It’s percussive singing.
- The Dynamics: The song starts with almost nothing and ends with a wall of sound that still feels intimate.
Common Misconceptions About the Song
Some people think And So It Is is a sad song. I’d argue it’s actually a neutral one. It’s about the inevitability of change.
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There’s a difference between sadness and nostalgia. Nostalgia is "aching for the past," but this song feels more like "witnessing the present." When the lyrics mention the "coming of the cold," it isn't a complaint. It’s an observation. The world turns, the seasons change, and we’re just here for the ride.
Another common mistake is assuming there’s a lead singer. In most bands, you have a frontman. In Darlingside, the "voice" is the collective. While individual members might take a verse or a solo line, the soul of the track is the four-part harmony. If you took one voice away, the whole structure would collapse. It’s a rare example of true musical egalitarianism.
The Impact of "Birds Say"
The album Birds Say was a turning point for the band. Before this, they were experimenting with a more traditional "rock" sound, even using a full drum kit in their earlier work. But with this record, they leaned into the "one mic" philosophy.
It worked.
The album received praise from NPR and The New Yorker, specifically highlighting how their precision doesn't feel clinical. Sometimes, when musicians are too good at their instruments, the music loses its heart. It becomes a technical exercise. Darlingside avoids this trap. And So It Is feels human precisely because you can hear the tiny imperfections—the sound of a finger sliding across a string or a quick intake of breath before a high note.
How to Get the Most Out of the Listening Experience
If you want to actually "get" this song, don't listen to it on your phone speakers.
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The panning in the mix is intentional. They place different voices and instruments in different parts of the stereo field to mimic where the guys are standing around the microphone. With a good pair of headphones, you can almost "see" the semi-circle. You’ll hear the violin slightly to the left and the mandolin to the right. It’s an immersive experience that gets flattened when played through a low-quality speaker.
Also, look up the music video. It’s a quirky, stop-motion-esque visual that perfectly matches the "handmade" feel of the music. It uses vintage aesthetics without feeling like it’s trying too hard to be "indie."
What Darlingside Taught Us About Modern Folk
The success of And So It Is proved that there is still a massive audience for quiet music. In an era of loudness wars and hyper-compressed pop songs, there is something radical about a group of guys singing softly into a single microphone.
It demands your attention.
You have to lean in to hear it. And once you lean in, you’re hooked. It’s a testament to the power of vocal arrangement over flashy production.
Next Steps for the Listener
To truly appreciate the craftsmanship of And So It Is, start by listening to the track on high-quality over-ear headphones to catch the nuances of the "one-mic" recording technique. Once you've internalized the studio version, search for a live performance of the song on YouTube. Watching the four members physically move in and out of the microphone’s range provides a visual context for the dynamics of the song that you simply can't get from the audio alone. From there, explore the rest of the Birds Say album, particularly the tracks "White Horses" and "Harrison Ford," to see how they maintain this unique vocal density across different tempos and themes.