From the heart of Johnson City, Tennessee, Mahto & The Loose Balloons emerges as a refreshing voice in the world of modern folk, a project that thrives not on spectacle, but on sincerity. At its core, it is a deeply personal endeavor driven primarily by Mahto himself, an artist who values emotional truth over polish, and feeling over perfection. Though the project may carry the name of a band, it is Mahto’s fingerprints that are found on nearly every inch of the work, writing, performing, recording, and shaping each song with a handcrafted intimacy that few artists today dare to pursue.
Armed with nothing more than a phone, an acoustic guitar, and a clear artistic vision, Mahto spent the entirety of 2024 capturing songs in the simplest way possible, stripped down, unadorned, and emotionally resonant. His recording process was intentionally raw: playing each song until the right take emerged, layering vocals sparingly, and adding minimal flourishes like harmonica and light effects. Each element was approached not with industry gloss in mind, but with the intent of preserving the honest core of the song.
Although largely a solo effort, Mahto & The Loose Balloons isn’t a closed door. The track Crisscross stands as a beautiful testament to artistic camaraderie, originally written by longtime friend Niko Graham and later adapted into Mahto’s signature style. The EP was polished into its final form with the help of Matt Sykes of Downspout Records, whose careful mixing and mastering ensured that the natural textures of each recording were preserved without losing clarity or warmth. Mahto’s musical worldview is shaped by artists like Nick Shoulders, particularly his album Home on the Rage, which inspired Mahto to pursue a sound that embraces space and simplicity. In a music landscape often overwhelmed by layers and effects, Mahto & The Loose Balloons offers something rare, songs that breathe, speak plainly, and resonate deeply.
With the poetic charm of a wedding phrase and the emotional clarity of a handwritten letter, Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue is a complete philosophy. Released on July 11, 2025, this EP is a carefully curated collection of four songs, each embodying one part of the phrase that inspired its creation. Through these thematic lenses, Mahto crafts a sonic experience that is as reflective as it is relatable, capturing fleeting moments of nostalgia, quiet joy, borrowed insight, and gentle sorrow.
Rather than building an elaborate concept album, Mahto uses the EP’s framework as a loose guide, just vague enough to be creative, yet structured enough to remain cohesive. The result is a body of work that feels intentionally unpolished, alive with the warmth of lived emotion and the texture of unfiltered sound. Recorded entirely in his home studio using only a phone, this EP is a raw and revealing look at songs in their earliest stages, before the band, before the noise, before the polish. It’s a project that welcomes listeners into the artist’s private world, where every guitar strum, vocal breath, and harmonic whisper carries the weight of personal truth. Honest, vulnerable, and stripped to the bone, Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue invites you to sit down, listen closely, and feel something real.
Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue EP Track List:
Parking Lots:
Parking Lots opens with the softest, most unadorned acoustic guitar, its gentle, unhurried strum instantly sets a mood of quiet reflection. This stripped‑back introduction feels deliberate, as if inviting listeners into a sacred space. The guitar’s arpeggiated chords weave a calm, introspective tapestry, underpinned by a subtle warmth in the low mids. Mahto’s vocal enters with unforced sincerity, clear, intimate, and evocative of classic folk duos like Simon & Garfunkel, yet there’s a distinctly modern fragility to his delivery. This creates an arresting contrast: a voice that is both confident and vulnerable, hovering just above the guitar in a delicate balance. The track maintains a thoughtful pace, with no percussion or heavy arrangements forcing a tempo, just a patient unfolding of melody and lyric.
As the song progresses, the interplay between voice and guitar deepens. Mahto’s phrasing, softly punctuated pauses between lines, allows space for resonance, while each pluck of the strings seems purposefully measured. This restraint gives weight to every note, every whispered lyric. The result is a beautifully cohesive sound: vocal and instrumentation blend so naturally that they feel like two halves of the same reflection. From the moment the first chord rings out, you’re enveloped in a meditative atmosphere: nostalgic, grounded, and profoundly honest.
There’s a deceptively high level of production craft at work here. Despite its lo-fi feel, the mix is finely balanced, no element overshadows another, and the reverb is modest yet effective in creating warmth and depth. This attention to sonic detail keeps the track from feeling raw or amateurish; instead, it feels like polished simplicity. Parking Lots doesn’t require grand gestures to move its listener. It creates an immersive emotional space where every crackle of a string and every breath in Mahto’s voice resonates. The atmosphere is one of calm introspection, with a bittersweet undertone, like glimpsing a half-forgotten memory under soft evening light. In that space, you’re not just an observer, you’re a participant in a quiet confession shaped by melody and soul.
Lunch w/ You (Bagels):
Lunch w/ You (Bagels) begins with a languid acoustic guitar that feels like the opening chord of a relaxed conversation. Its light, finger‑picked pattern sets a cozy, unhurried pace, the kind where time seems to stretch. Mahto’s vocals enter gently, with a natural, conversational delivery that grounds the track in authenticity. He sings with an easygoing warmth, bridging humor and sincerity: you get the sense this is a genuine, almost candid moment shared among friends. The song has a melancholic texture, yet a beautiful harmony, and subtly humorous lyrics, a perfect snapshot of its dual emotional pull.
Instrumentation throughout remains spare but purposeful: acoustic guitar, light double-tracked vocals, and carefully placed harmonic touches create a sense of communal intimacy. The production strikes a high‑quality balance: while fashioned for intimacy and lo‑fi charm, the mix is clean, nuanced, and inviting. By the second verse, atmospheric resonance lingers in the mix, just enough reverb to make you feel the space, without ever distancing you from the vocals. This blend of rawness and polish makes the performance feel lived‑in yet sonically cohesive.
Emotionally, Lunch w/ You (Bagels) envelops you from the first note: the vibe is cozy, reflective, and tinged with bittersweet humor. You’re not simply listening, you’re sharing a quiet moment: sipping coffee, chatting about nothing much, letting the world slip away. The atmosphere is tender and communal, with vocal and guitar interlocking so naturally that they feel like two sides of the same conversation. This track is a heartfelt close to the EP, one that leaves you both warmed and contemplative, proof that music needn’t be complex to be deeply moving.
Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue is a slow-burning, soul-baring journey through reflection, connection, and gentle melancholy.
Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue is a quiet triumph, a heartfelt exploration of simplicity, memory, and emotional honesty that stands apart in today’s cluttered musical landscape. Mahto & The Loose Balloons offer listeners more than just songs; they offer a shared moment, an invitation to reflect, and a space to feel. With its raw acoustic textures, thoughtful lyrics, and deeply human themes, the EP resonates like a personal conversation whispered over coffee or carried on a late-night breeze. For those seeking music that’s unfiltered, unforced, and rich with feeling, this release is not only recommended, it’s essential.
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