Jack Robertson - Set It Alight

Visit Jack's website here (external link)

I'm a sucker for a decent looking lad doing a pop song. In recent years, however, I've become more discerning with my tastes and now look for some substance and depth beneath the exterior polished pop packaging. Now I don't know much about upcoming singer Jack Robertson - but I do know that his new single, Set It Alight, is a thoroughly pleasing piece of earworm that exudes quality from start to finish. The narrative of the song is based on the universal theme of falling in love - yet this is no cookie-cutter love song. Jack examines all the complexities, neurosis and longings that come alongside relationships with an expressive vocal that seamlessly shifts from hurt & despair through to eternal optimist as the lyrics demand. His lower register is fueled by angst and passion, yet he really soars when he embraces the philosophy of the chorus and belts out that instantly memorable refrain. He's surrounded by an instrumental that is equally as responsive to the story as he is - it starts with a military precision drum beat and sumptuous piano chords. These seem to signify how we often regulate what we feel to avoid complete emotional overload. As the music bubbles into the chorus, it's an euphoric explosion of sound with "whoa" (and the titular refrain) female backing vocals, a percolating groove and exhilarating synth effects that elevate the message. It all lives you with a tingling sensation that's not just from this being a celebration of throwing caution to the wind - but also a celebration of how to craft an energetic, contemporary pop song. It's a song that feels how modern pop should feel but eschews the fading fads of the charts for an invigorating vocal, sparkling chorus and a melody that lingers in your head long after the song has finished. Splendid.