11

This Sweet Song

Described by The Guardian as “Nick Drake given a machine pulse by New Order” and already garnering a fair amount of critical acclaim within the music press, James Yuill may just be one of the surprise hits of the year.

“This Sweet Love” belies the whole ‘synther-songwriter’ tag that this gentleman has, a little harshly, been brandished with. The soft whirls of synths delicately sit alongside his hushed voice, rather than the usual harsh pips and beats usually associated with sound. With a heavy, but not suffocating air of melancholia and a fair whack of quiet introspection, Yuill masterfully holds the listener in his hands and gently strokes their ears with his delightful quixotic, lullaby-like vocals.

Instead of being defined by his use of electronic equipment, Yuill merely uses it as a backdrop for the lyrics themselves, allowing them to take the forefront. This is far more the gentle ebb and flow of The Postal Service rather than the often clunky sounds of other ‘one man and his laptop bands’ such as Get Cape, Wear Cape, Fly.

Gloriously simple in its construction and infinitely gorgeous in sound, this is a little gem of a release. In short: this is perhaps one of the standout tracks of the year.