Premiere: Watch Exhibitionist gorgeously strip back her latest single, Vicious Love

From the second we met Exhibitionist, the musical project of Sydney-based artist Kirsty Tickle, we knew we were onto something special. Her debut single Hands woozed with indie-electronic-pop excellence, mixing an elaborate production with her delicate vocal that swayed over the top, something she has strengthened with every release since. We named her one to watch at the start of this year, noting her slow-burning fragility, and we're proud to say she hasn't let us down, with her debut EP Let Go Of Love showcasing her engrossing and captivating sound as she explores every facet of it, from swooning, R&B tinges to upbeat and clapping productions aided by LUCIANBLOMKAMP. "Let Go of Love deals with longing, heartache, and reflects on my own failures and mistakes. It’s a collection of songs that document my relationships with a few key people over the course of a year as I was figuring out how to navigate my new life," she said at the time, and her first single since, this month's Vicious Love, sees her come out of this reflection on top, navigating the complexities of modern dating with a lush, sensual take on her vulnerable pop sound.

Mixing intricacy with richness, Vicious Love was a gorgeous return from Exhibitionist that placed her emotive songwriting on centre stage, but now, in a live video recorded with Jordan Ireland (ex-The Middle East), this vulnerability is only elevated more. Pairing the single's soft vocal swoon with a stripped-back, guitar-soaked instrumental, this take on Vicious Love sees the single transform into something you'd expect from Sufjan Stevens, with the gripping emotions that ooze from Kirsty's vocal gently floating over the acoustic backing which only pushes her vocal more forward. "I took a day trip down the south coast to Thirroul last Sunday, near where my beautiful friend Jordan lives. It was such a magical day and it's a really beautiful part of the world," she says on the cover. "Water really draws me in, and there are beautiful stretches of ocean there. Jordan Ireland is one of my favourite musical minds in Australia and so I asked him if he'd help me reimagine an acoustic version of Vicious Love and this is what happened." It caps off a big, defining year for Exhibitionist, and considering the strength of the rising name in 2018, it wouldn't surprise us to see her become even more incredible in the twelve months ahead. Watch the live video below:

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