Jonathan Alexander’s sound is one that uniquely fuses elements of indie-rock, electronic rock and shoe-gaze, but does so in a manner that feels intensely colourful and energetic.
Light On is a great song, one that sounds good to begin with but that reaches a superb early peak when the hook hits – and evolves even more-so after that, re-crafting the soundscape almost entirely. Those initial layers of various genres cascade and collaborate among heavy fuzz and weight during the later stages, and on the other side of this are some intermittent moments of gentle vocal purity. You quickly see the effort and skill that has built this song, hence the reference to it being good initially and great by the time it reaches its end.
The shoe-gaze reference is one that came from the reverb soaked guitar sound and how distantly the vocals have been placed within the mix. Alexander’s voice is brilliant, sounding gritty yet fully able to present this meandering melody and poetic lyricism. You occasionally wish the voice was a little more up-front within the mix, but as the soundscape progresses you realise that the song itself is far more of an expression or piece of art than a simple means to showcase a strong singing voice. This, in hindsight, is actually quite refreshing right now.
The song’s latter half builds up brilliantly, the energy multiples and sweeps you away in the process – making for that perfect musical escapism and providing the necessary energy levels to fill the room and motivate even the tiredest of listeners. Every time this song reappears I enjoy it even more. The rest of the recent EP offers a similar string of songwriting but varies in mood and style quite distinctively. Well worth exploring.
Light On is from the EP 17:34 – listen in full via Soundcloud. Find & follow Jonathan Alexander on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram or visit his Website.
