The follow-up to the show-stopping, genre-fusing album that was Diabolical is finally here. Lounge Act Jam return with an indie-rock-infused, grunge-soaked yet rhythmically uplifting new single – the lyrically minimalist but conceptually quick to the point When The River Flows.
Contrast works its magic beautifully here. 45 seconds of ferocious grunge-rock intensity and distortion are effectively muted suddenly as a delicate and jazz-led moment of purity and calm introduces the verse. The personal touch is amplified thanks to this juxtaposition – these words hit with greater impact due to the sudden softness and intimacy with which they’re presented; I don’t feel right, I wish I could drift away and out of sight, I cried all night, Anything can kill me I’m without a fight… As a listener, you don’t purely hear these words, you feel the emotional roller-coaster that was this night for the central character – you can hear it in the switch from noise and weight to quiet and lightness. The words help clarify what it is that’s driving this creative explosion.
Most of us spend far too much time inside our heads – lost in our own thoughts, insecurities, worries. Particularly in the age of the internet – whatever you say or show online, stays there forever; imprinted on the world for years to come. We overthink, we under connect, and this song gets right to the core of that state of being.
When The River Flows is a beautifully soulful and incredibly creative piece of music and writing – the way the gentle tones are united with those chaotic, distorted lo-fi sweeping guitar notes makes for a completely engaging and refreshingly new audio journey. There’s melody and peacefulness on one side, intensity and fear on the other – unity meets with isolation in a perfectly poignant manner.
A great song, as expected, but perhaps even a little more impressive than expectation could have allowed.
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