There’s something about music made in the quiet chaos of everyday life that hits harder. Something about a song born on the floor of a lounge, between the spill of grief and the glow of fatherhood, that sticks with you. ‘If A Boy, Still Believe’, the new single from Blackpool’s Rendered, does just that. It doesn’t try to impress with grandeur- it simply feels real. And that’s what makes it unforgettable.
Crafted by Dale Ball and Chris, longtime collaborators who first bonded in The Karma and rekindled their creative fire after years apart, this release finds its soul in the spaces between personal loss and new beginnings. A tribute to Chris’s newborn son, and a quiet reckoning with the passing of a close friend, the track straddles that rare line between heartbreak and healing.
From the first strum, there’s a warmth that pulls you in- an almost ghostly acoustic presence layered over a sturdy, percussive groove that nods to the rawness of ‘90s alt-rock without falling into imitation. Think: a gentler Audioslave if they’d leaned into unplugged sessions, or a less tortured Nirvana with a father’s heart on their sleeve. The harmonics are subtly hypnotic, and the decision to add shimmer only in the final vocal takes gives the whole track a live, aching resonance.
But what really sets this single apart is its emotional DNA. You can hear the weight of fatherhood in the lyrics, the tension of absence, and the quiet awe of watching a child grow. There’s a confessional quality here- something that goes beyond performance. It’s an open letter to sons, to friends who left too soon, and to the artists within all of us still wrestling with what it means to care deeply in a world that rarely makes room for it.
The production walks a clever tightrope between vintage texture and contemporary clarity. By layering in a staccato-style bass line that echoes the feel of an upright acoustic, and tuning the snare for maximum emotional punch, the track channels warmth without losing punch. There’s just enough grit to keep it grounded, and just enough polish to let it shine.
As the band continues work on their debut album, ‘If A Boy, Still Believe’ feels like a declaration of what Rendered can do and of who they are. In an era where so much music feels engineered for virality, this song is a gentle, defiant reminder that honesty still matters. It’s an anthem for the unseen dads, the grieving mates, and anyone quietly clinging to belief in the middle of life’s mess.
A slow-burner with staying power, this one deserves your full attention- preferably with headphones on and distractions off. Because if you’re still willing to feel, Rendered is right there with you.