sweet soak strike with an even more uplifting and memorable melody and musical warmth on this latest single stained hands. From the offset the song bursts into life, full-throttle layers of instrumentation provide an immediate weight – however, despite the clear energy and distortion, there’s an enjoyable and optimistic lightness to the chord progression and the vocal melody as it moves around.
Following this thick intro, the heaviness falls away to lay bay a more delicate and calm, almost whispered version of the same feeling. These stripped back moments are beautiful, contrast lets them really connect in an addictive way. This is easily a personal favourite from the band, there’s a classic indie vibe to the melody and to the back and forth between the two sections, giving the whole thing a fairly anthemic aura.
With the familiar shoe-gaze approach of the band, this mighty wash of reverb and the quiet, intimate nature of the vocal performance, the lyrics occasionally take a back-seat as the general musicality drives. However, the lyrics to this song are beautiful, poetically honest and simple – kept to the main essentials so as to really make a particular, personal point. As you listen, there are one or two lines that break through the fuzz and connect. Then as you re-visit the track, or read through the accompanying lyrics, these seventeen lines emerge as something of a poetic diary entry.
There’s an emotional poignancy to the whole thing, and the way the music switches from intense to light reinforces certain lines in a powerful way. Instances of hope are met with softness, whereas those of frustration or turmoil are met with a much greater output of energy and instrumental expression. It’s a great song, the perfect choice for indie fans who want to turn up the speakers and lose themselves for a while.
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