Graingerboy - Saturnine

Stream Saturnine here (Soundcloud)

There is something quite magnificent about people who love pop making pop music. All too often, there's a calculated, soulless approach to crafting music to ensure it will sell - focusing on replicating past successes rather than following any creative inspiration. There's nothing wrong with taking influences from songs that have endured through the ages, but it should be done to inspire not to use as a cookie cutter mold. That's why Graingerboy's new single, Saturnine, shimmies with effervescent charm from start to finish. This sparkling gem of a pop song has the merest infusions of acts like St. Etienne, Pet Shop Boys and Erasure. It's the ultimate juxtaposition in the world of music, that pathos and melancholy often yield great art and that's exactly what Saturnine provides. The shuddering beats and riveting percussion provide the pulsing heart of the song, giving an off kilter vibe that mirrors the internal aching that often comes when life deals us the harsh blows. Swirling around this groove are soothing synths and fuzzy electro flourishes that seemingly match how the world carries on, despite our own personal struggles. Graingerboy's vocals are beautifully resonant, imbued with the sorrow and yearning that he so eruditely sings of. He guides the melody with mellifluous ease, weaving through the wall of sound he has created and breathes life into his lyrical tale of loss and regret. It comes together magically, stirring your own memories (and, no doubt providing you with a cathartic and healing soundtrack for experiences yet to happen). For never was there a more magical tale of woe so fine, than that of Graingerboy feeling Saturnine...