Straight from the upcoming Pharmacoping project, which will see its collection released single by single over the coming months, True You introduces the artist and songwriter Hayden Birch with a decidedly thoughtful, intricate and emotive style.
Following the simplicity of a piano chord progression, alongside a contemporary, trap-style rhythm and a few electro or EDM flickers of vocal sound-play, True You features a meandering yet distant, quiet vocal lead, which takes us through the details of the story.
The melody starts at its high points and descends throughout lines, creating a hypnotic effect that suits the jazz-cafe core and escapism of the soundscape beautifully well.
Conceptually the lyrics take something of a backseat to the overall mood, thanks to quietly mixed vocals and a general sense of calm. However, once you tune in fully, with high-quality headphones or speakers, the intimacy and vulnerability of the writing begins to connect. This conversation with the self, references to loneliness, uncertainty, a sense of longing, all reaches out with a certain poignancy – particularly given this largely isolated twelve months we’ve all shared. The idea of the True You lingers in the mind as strongly as the wave-like embrace of the music.
Throw in a distorted guitar solo for added soul at the final hurdle, and the track effectively weaves its passionate web around listeners in a memorable and fairly addictive way.
Check out Hayden Birch on Instagram.
