It’s a tale as old as time, where summer is around the corner (wishful thinking) and a folk artist collaborates with EDM to make a typical signature summery song and mark claim to summer as theirs — you know the one: it’s easily mixed into sets for field raves or clubs. We’ve seen it with Sigala’s ‘nobody to love’, Luvbug’s ‘resonance’, I could go on.

I’m glad Blanco and Marshmello took Vance Joy out of his almost 3 year retirement

I’m not complaining though— I’m glad Blanco and Marshmello took Vance Joy out of his almost 3 year retirement. The timing is a bit off given the time to year— thank Vance Joy’s Australian natural habitat where it’s currently summer for that one, I guess (lucky Australians)— but maybe it’s another way for us in the northern hemisphere to get our hopes up for a partially Covid-free summer. One can dream. Sadly. 

Vance Joy’s signature style is stamped all over the track, which is what I was looking for— his name after all is what drew me to the song in the first place. It’s also amazing to see he can still co-write and make a great song after nearly three years in semi-retirement. It’s a great comeback. That much can’t be faulted. 

Vance Joy’s signature style is stamped all over the track

A one-man show is how it begins— him and his famous guitar. For the most part (if we excuse the synth echoes in the background). This duo makes the sound all the more distinctive. And also acts as a deterrent from Marshmello over-producing the track.

The plucked acoustic guitar is signature folk and the crisp, distinct Vance Joy vocals commence. If the artist’s name or the vocals sound familiar, it’s because they are. Remember 2013’s summer hit ‘Riptide’? That’s our man. 

A caveat lies in the lyricism— it’s underwhelming for the most part. The opening line of ‘sometimes when I hear my voice / but I don’t like myself’ is a half-hearted promise of flare, but ‘wish I could hold you / It’s only you’ descends into the cliche trap of dull lyricism Marshmello’s genre of music tends to fall into. But the folk-turned-EDM genre isn’t known for its stunning lyricism, so I’ll let this one slide. This once. 

After all, it excels in what the genre is famous: good beat, good instrumentation, good melody.  

It’s what echoes in your ears long after listening

Percussion, synth and…brass. But the brass adds flare and a distinct, catchy second melody that coins the single. It’s what echoes in your ears long after listening. For hours. It’s almost painfully catchy. Groan. 

Essentially an ongoing ostinato that build and builds into near percussion overload is what I was expecting from the song. But, surprisingly (to understate it), there’s a breakdown half-way through. Refreshing. It catches you slightly off-guard. It goes back to a one-man show for a few lines, then the percussion comes back, followed by the synth, before the big penultimate beat drop. This wind down brings it back to earth. Crucially, it stops the beat-drops from spoiling the sentiment of the song, adds depth (which at this pivot it could’ve perhaps done with) and adds flavourful meaning which, at some points, was treading the thin line of getting lost in the beat. 

The single, despite its cliches, does have a sentimental meaning in the (however at times predictable) lyrics and I could definitely see it being a nostalgic, summer sound to round off 2021. Which, of course, is what we all need. 

A catchy, refreshing break nonetheless from the recent (but stunning) downers of Olivia Rodgrigo’s ‘driver’s license’ and, dare I say, Taylor Swift. It’s definitely one to revisit in the summer. If remembered. 

Rating: 8/10

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