Virginia’s Capital 4 craft a sound and style of their own with this release – a song that increasingly fuses genres and bends expectation in a refreshing way.
Beginning with a simple jazz-piano introduction, and an unexpected uniting of vocal and piano melody – not to mention a quickly revealing set of lyrics that openly lay bare vulnerability and uncertainty – already we’re intrigued. There’s brightness in the sound, a kind of retro styling to the arrangement.
Soon enough though, the melody switches gears, a hint of darkness comes in for the pre-chorus, and then the entire track veers off once again for a decidedly joyful and fully produced dance-pop hook.
The melodic development of Small Talk is impressively unique. The voice is quietly mixed, drawing attention for its tuneful movement and the honesty of its lyrics rather than the tone or weight of its delivery. Everything Capital 4 do is subtle but intentional – there’s purpose in every decision, and this makes the post four-minute journey that is Small Talk a brilliantly interesting single.
Despite the creative qualities that give this song a genre-fusing air of alternative freedom, the hook works hard to inject a clear level of mainstream relevance. It becomes recognisable, long before it becomes all the more intriguing and uncertain for its dramatically drum-kissed middle 8.
The contrast between darker and brighter moments is wonderful, something that doesn’t always work well in music but here creates a genuinely story-like experience. Well worth a listen.
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