Album Review: Simmer by Katie Dineen

Connection, true connection, comes in various forms and stages. Throughout your life, you will meet people who stick with you through the tests of life, who cause your life to change in ways you didn’t think would be possible. Each connection you make, while different, leaves a lasting impact on both you and them, and Katie Dineen understands that perfectly. 

Dineen’s newest album, Simmer, demonstrates the complex beauty of human connection through an array of songs that simultaneously speak on different relationships while forming an overarching theme around pursuing connection despite not knowing where each new connection could lead. 

Simmer is an amalgamation of a few different genres that all root from indie rock. The album, produced by Pensacola familiar Starlin, was recorded live-to-tape, which not only gives the album a cohesive sound, but captures the raw emotion built in each song, both in Dineen’s voice and the band as they enhance the lyrics their instruments accompany. Mixed with softer pieces like “Whale Song” and “everything reminds me of you” that emulate artists like Searows and Gregory Alan Isakov, and more energetic pieces like “Lucky” that feel country adjacent, Simmer is an album for easy listening and reminiscing about the people you care about most. 

One of the album’s standout songs is “Board Games”, not only because of its lyrical build-up, but because it’s a standout for Dineen herself. Dineen writes from the perspective of her close childhood friend about her journey through falling in love with her partner and sustaining that love.

If there were any song that could define Simmer’s comprehensive theme, “Board Games” would be it: the couple’s progression from meeting, to building a romantic bond, to, as Dineen puts it, “navigating the necessity of love in the face of misunderstanding and life’s complications” perfectly captures Simmer’s focus on the tumultuous but rewarding path taken when building relationships. The chorus’ evolution with each return demonstrates the manner in which the couple progress, as the focus changes from I, to you, to we with each iteration. Intentionally growing a connection with someone, romantic or otherwise, causes each party to not only love and take care of the other partner, but to confront their own identity within the relationship; each party within that bond is equally important in maintaining a strong connection, and the choruses in "Board Games" capture that relational dynamic beautifully. The lyrics, paired alongside swaying guitar tones and lighthearted percussion that feels very Palace-esque, make “Board Games” worth the repeated listen. 

Although Simmer was just released a month ago, the album has technically been in the works for years. Simmer is composed of songs Dineen had written between 2023 and 2025; even though the songs’ cover different stages of life Dineen experienced in that handful of years, each song was intentionally chosen from a plethora of other songs written in that span. Dineen noted that each song seemed to speak to each other, with the final song “everything reminds me of you” ending the songs’ conversation with a testament of love, both for her husband and for the life she has. 

Dineen isn’t planning on slowing down after Simmer's recent release. With hopes of presenting Simmer to live audiences both locally and on tour, as well as beginning the production of a new album, Dineen is continuing to grow her discography and creative endeavors that you won’t want to miss. To keep up with Dineen, be sure to follow her at @katiedineensings and stream Simmer, along with her prior projects, wherever you get your music.