A pop ballad done right. “floorboards.” by Noah Henderson is a song that hits hard today, will hit hard tomorrow, and in 30 years too. It’s compromised of all the best elements a strong pop ballad would have in 2023: unforced cadences and lyrics, purposeful production, engaging story-telling, an undeniably strong, distinct vocal, and of course layers of authenticity.

“floorboards.” has a beautiful, cinematic-like buildup, juxtaposing the often simple, 4 chord piano progression songs that play it safe, and stay within the lane of pop conformity. The sonic atmosphere moves at a perfect pace, and perhaps is credited to the ethereal vocals, Henderson’s lyrical brevity, and the incredible backdrop of the production.

Noah serenades us with his story of unrequited love in “floorboards.”, a topic hard to nail down in terms of relatability, and appeal. He leaves listeners with the great gift of: self-interpretation, making this song naturally a “in my feels” playlist classic.