Jordan Paul Rousseau & Dean Rivers Stirred a Southern Gothic Fever Dream in the Alt-Country Vignette, ‘The Need’

Jordan Paul Rousseau and Dean Rivers let the spectral and the intimate entwine in their latest release, The Need. Resonating like a transmission from a Southern Gothic fever dream, the haunting vignette drifts through its alt-country progressions with razor-sharp confessions, only to bury them in artfully stylised lo-fi guitars. Twangs shimmer through distorted waves of reverb, driving the song with more force than the sparse instrumentation that surrounds it, while Rivers’ vocals ache with a confessional weight that lingers in the chest. Written for the JUSTCAVALLI Fall/Winter 2025 campaign, the track still transcends its fashion origins. It pulses with a melancholic passion, capturing the restless pull of longing and the hunger for belonging. It is cinematic in scope, yet raw enough to feel whispered directly into your ear, a paradox Rousseau and Rivers balance with uncanny precision. Rousseau, known for composing award-winning scores across film, television, and fashion, brings his ability to craft immersive sonic worlds into a stripped-down country-rooted form without losing his trademark atmospheric depth. Rivers, with his reputation for penning lyrics that cut deep and linger long after, leans on classic Americana while unspooling new vulnerability through his voice. Together, they summon a ballad that resonates far […]

The post Jordan Paul Rousseau & Dean Rivers Stirred a Southern Gothic Fever Dream in the Alt-Country Vignette, ‘The Need’ appeared first on A&R Factory.