Diego Philips’ upcoming EP, I Want to Laugh Until I Cry, captures those profound moments when life’s beauty and pain blur, leaving us somewhere between laughter and tears. Set to release on December 13, 2024, this five-track EP delves into intimacy, healing, and the inevitable flow of time. With just his vocals, guitar, and Shizuku Tatsuno’s haunting cello, Philips invites listeners into a delicate, heartfelt world where every lyric and note feels intensely personal. Produced by Alexander Sokolow and recorded at London’s Ctrl-P Studio, this project feels like a quiet triumph, with an understated charm that’s powerfully resonant.
The EP opens with its namesake track, I Want to Laugh Until I Cry, setting a vulnerable tone with an evocative cello solo that perfectly reflects the delicate balance of joy and sorrow. Each track then takes its turn unraveling different facets of the human experience. Why Can’t You Stay Out of My Head offers a soulful look at love’s relentless hold, with Tatsuno’s cello adding warmth and depth that feel both comforting and bittersweet.
Hummingbird shifts the mood, with a lively European street vibe that adds some lightness to the EP, before transitioning into Time, a more reflective piece that contemplates the passage of time and its quiet impact on us all. The EP closes with Water, a dreamlike track that leaves listeners floating in a state of introspection, perfectly capturing that space where we laugh, cry, and, yes, sometimes do both.
Inspired by artists like José González and Nick Drake, Philips creates an acoustic, folk-rooted soundscape that’s uniquely intimate. For anyone seeking music that speaks to the soul, I Want to Laugh Until I Cry is a beautiful reminder of the highs, lows, and everything in between that makes us human.