(via Shutterstock)
Creativity is often portrayed as a solo pursuit, something a lone soul in a cloistered ivory tower just for the love of creation alone.
But the truth is that while letting yourself loose in your own passion and imagination can lead to all kinds of wondrously good things being made, that there’s also a real joy in working with other likeminded souls and seeing where your creative bliss takes you.
Proof positive are all of today’s artists who have found a fertile vein of creativity in working with others, and who, as a result, have made some very fine and hugely listenable music indeed.
Runaway (Feat. Beach Season) by Jantoje
(courtesy official Facebook page)
Australian producer Jantoje certainly knows his way around an atmospherically resonant track.
“Runaway”, which features the beautiful vocals of duo Beach Season, is one of those tracks that immediately suggests an evocative sense of time and place, transporting somewhere quite specific and escapistly blissful with a deliciously musical sensibility.
Whilst writing ‘Runaway’, I was listening to 90’s and early 00’s house music with the classic M1 piano sounds. I wrote a demo using some of those sounds, but it originally had a vocal chop over it. The Beach Season boys got involved as I sent them another demo, but they top-lined over the ‘Runaway’ demo instead. These boys kill it every time! They feature on another track of mine ‘Without’.
‘Runaway’ would sound best whilst going on a road trip with a bunch of mates. I’ve tried to capture this in the music video. (Jantoje, Acid Stag)
As we head into the Aussie summer, it’s nice to know we have songs like this to amplify the bliss of time away with good friends in places far away from the usual day-to-day locations.
(courtesy official Maver Facebook page)
Hailing from Perth but now happily ensconced on the eats coast in Sydney, Ukiyo and Maver have dreamt a jaunty piece of pop bounciness that captures your heart, mind, and definitely beat from its first lightly effervescent notes.
“Closer (demo)” is quite simply a lot of fun musically with some real emotionally lyrical depth that adds a lovely Scandinavian contrast to proceedings.
The song is yet again proof positive of the power of richly-realised collaborations, a coming together of two enthusiastic and musically talented artists with Maver being described by Australian national radio broadcaster triplej as “a serious contender …[fuelled] by youthful energy and a genuine desire to feed people music”.
According to Acid Stag, there’s yet more music in the offing, from Ukiyo at least with an upcoming EP on the way, These Are Not My Friends, “which will feature a collection of off-cut demos, remixes and alternate versions that were created while making his recent ep The Friends You Made Along The Way.”
“I’m a mess” by AJR
(courtesy official AJR Facebook page)
There’s something to be said for emotional honesty, especially in a catchy slice of bright and breezily upbeat pop.
Advocates of laying it all out to a mesmerisingly attractive beat, which feels like it has imbibed a marching band vibe, is U.S. pop band AJR who have gifted us “I’m a Mess”.
Sporting whistles and the kind of piratical breezy musicality that wins the heart over in nanoseconds, “I’m a Mess” has been described by Illustrate Magazine as “an exhilarating rollercoaster of sound that showcases the band’s innovative approach to music.”
It’s a clever piece of pop brilliance that discusses some fairly meaty subjects like “self-acceptance, vulnerability, and the messiness of life itself” all laid over “infectious melodies, and a vibrant fusion of pop, rock, and electronic elements”.
It’s therapy with some rousing musicality and it works to a superlatively good degree, full of humour and meaning and a sense of life soundtracked to good result.
“Sad Times” by Grace & Moji
(courtesy official Grace & Moji page)
Here’s an example of the rich pickings of two talented artists coming together.
“Sad Times” by Grace & Moji, which features two people – Grace “hailing from a turbulent upbringing as a child of Korean immigrants” and Moji “with the pristine forests of Sweden as his backdrop” – who have brought their life experiences and gift for music and lyric to create something beautifully special as Medium explains.
‘Sad Times’ unfolds like a breath of fresh air in today’s music landscape. It’s a song that takes the classic ingredients of acoustic guitar, drums, and heartfelt vocals and infuses them with a retro style that feels both comforting and invigorating.
The song’s theme, dealing with the ups and downs of life, is painted in a way that’s refreshingly honest. Grace & Moji candidly state, ‘Once in a while I get stuck in my mind. Just wanna keep to myself. Imma write some poetry that rhymes yeah.’ It’s the kind of raw emotion we’ve all felt but often find challenging to express.
It’s emblematic of the kind of empowering pop that not only gives us something grippingly good to listen to but which helps our souls come to understand and deal with life a little better.
“Think Of Us” (ft. GRACEY) by The Chainsmokers
(courtesy official The Chainsmokers Facebook page)
Kicking off with some poundiogly emphatic beats that announce the song with suitable noticeability, “Think Of Us” by The Chainsmokers, which features the resonant vocals of English singer GRACEY, is one of those songs that lurks in the emotional messiness of the aftermath of a relationship.
American electronic DJ and production duo (Alexander “Alex” Pall and Andrew “Drew” Taggart) have a knack of crafting songs that immediately grabbed your attention musically but “Think of Us” takes things one impactful step further with lyrics that really dive into the literal heart of an issue.
It’s rare to have a song destined for the dance floors to knock your heart out of your body and back in again but “Think Of Us” manages with real soul-ripping elegance, delivering up pop with real power and heart.
So while your dancing away to its sublimely impelling beats, somewhere your psyche will be doing a lot of wondering and maybe even finding a little healing.
Not bad for one just-under-three-minutes pop gem.