Retrospective Rarities: these aren’t old songs but I consider them to already be timeless masterpieces.
MF
Here are three songs that I have harboured in my soul for nearly a decade which I believe deserve your attention...
1. Move Too Fast - Iman Omari ft. Anna Wise
A record that wonderfully illustrates the intricate yet tender push & pull that is flirtation and the importance of patience in relationships. Iman Omari's uses heady guitar licks that captivate your senses and draw you into his signature masterfully mellow production style. The soulful notes conjure images of flowing silks in deep wine tones and rich buttery browns. IO's lyrics begin seductive and charismatic steeped in blatant desire but the hook soon serves as a cautionary tale of how lust leads to an unromantic and swift fumble, quite literally. IO's sincere storytelling is assisted by the sweet ethereal vocals of Anna Wise whose gentle vulnerability allows innocence and intrigue to take the lead, having mercy on her lover's previous eagerness as long as he learns to pace himself.
The song is so indulgent but concise in its play time of 3:26 so I often find myself playing it at least four times in a row to enjoy every aspect of the journey to its fullest.
2. Paint - Versailles The Everything ft. SanSan
The juxtaposition of the nature of Versailles' lyrics, melancholic & restless next to the dexterous flow of SanSan's vibrant and loving affirmations which give this song such a beautiful balance. Then Versailles's final vocals transform from her former turbulence to a soft & light acceptance of the love, support, and assurance she now embraces from her patient lover. There is now room for ease when faced with the ugliness of the dark thoughts that litter the healing process. Whew.
“I dream of you how I breathe in the air…Bright colours on a black soul…The product of patience”
This song really speaks for itself so I hope you savour it.
3. Nicole's Garden [Live Quiet Room Version] - Shiloh
Last but by no means least Nicole's Garden - an ode to the unadulterated early stages of love. This poem depicts that hazy lucidity that comes with experiencing falling in love for the first time and not really knowing how to process the rush of excitement & fear. That place between longing and butterflies twinned with delirious happiness every time you catch a glimpse of that special person.
I can't count the amount of times Shiloh's wistful voice has brought me to tears, especially in the midst of mindless crushes I held for people I rarely think of now. Regardless of the listener’s personal experience this song is steeped in nostalgia for a long lost love you may have not yet found.
Miss Finewood