Single Reviews – 19 December 2022 – Drew Charron, Piper Cole, Georges Granville, Samuel Powell, Glass Mansions

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 Photo by Kadri Karmo 

Drew Charron – Anoetic 

progressive electronic

“Anoetic” is the first single from Kentuckian sonic sorcerer Drew Charron’s sophomore album Archives. The track effortlessly mesmerizes the listener with its sustained synth leads and bouncing rhythm, marked by Charron’s ability as a drummer. Where similar artists rely on processed beats to carry their experiments, Charron’s solid drumming style gives his experimental electronica a touch of the natural. Yet, sci-fi sensibilities come to the fore as Charron peppers this instrumental composition with blasts of neon keys and spacey swirls while, in true progressive fashion, breaking down the barriers of song structure and conventional arrangements, carving out an aural plane in which to evolve unfettered by reference. Musical complexity aside, this danceable track moves the body as much as the soul. 

Piper Cole – Oh Honey 

folktronica

From Northern Vancouver, singer-songwriter Piper Cole delivers genuinely emotive and calming soundscapes on her recent single “Oh Honey”. The warmth of her masterful vocals and musically rich arrangements might be incongruous with the stereotypical vision of a Canadian winter, yet the cosiness of her musical world feels more like firewood smouldering in a log cabin than the snow and ice outside. Though by all means professionally produced, her recent single “Oh Honey” veers more towards the artistic than the commercial, and a sense of experimentalism is present in this accessible though hazy track. 

Georges Granville – Yéla

jazz 

In anticipation of the upcoming album Perspectives, Georges Granville has recently released the first taster, “Yéla”, the title of which is a musical style originating in Senegal and from the Toucouleur people. A sultry and slow-burning jazz composition, this piano-led track segues from playful phrases to more sentimental and sincere touches, falling somewhere between hopeful and nostalgic. Featuring the measured contrabass of Michel Alibo and the erratic and loose drumming style of Arnaud Dolmen, the sweet piano flourishes of Granville’s composition are given vocal refrains by all members, injecting emergency into this deceptively patient and uplifting rumination.

Samuel Powell – Vespers 

techno

Kildare native Samuel Powell slowly builds tension on his recent single “Vespers” through unflinching rhythms, glacial ambiences, stunted keys, and field recordings. A sonic tapestry, this danceable and sittable seven-minute journey culminates in a spiritual experience worthy of its title. Though there is a wealth of technological tones on offer, the mood is decidedly provincial, more akin to a babbling brook than to the flow of city traffic. Powell employs an environmental hand, governing the capricious elements at play with a measured sense of restraint, ensuring never to blow a fuse on this highly charged mix.


Glass Mansions – Standing O

pop rock 


Immaculately produced and full of glimmering stereo tricks, “Standing O” by Austin two-piece Glass Mansions is a compelling throwback to the accessible pop-cum-nu-metal of the early ’00s, albeit injected with modern sensibilities and a dash of radio-friendly catchiness for good measure. This tale of defiant power (“I dare you to come for me”) is chock full of attitude; from its uncompromising vocals and crunchy guitars to its hard-hitting chorus and memorable lyrics, “Standing O” deals in direct songwriting that is likely to resonate with anyone whose power has ever been underestimated.  

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