SOLOMON does something a lot of songwriters struggle with and that’s inviting the audience in to bare witness to his emotional plight without making it feel like he’s a narrator in an arthouse indie movie. Instead, with heart-on-sleeve storytelling you feel like you’re sitting down with a close friend as they recite their pain to you, not sparing a single detail and anyone who hears to feel apart of his narrative. It’s akin to Gabrielle Aplin in a lot of ways, which makes sense since he recently opened for her on tour, but where they differ is in tone because that’s where SOLOMON truly shines. His rich vocal tone is sonic gold, dancing over our skin as the goosebumps begin to pop up with every individual note he utters over the minimalistic soundscape.
As far as debuts go my dear is up there with some of the best of the year. For starters his us of vivid lyrical imagery is something to be admired, throughout you will hear these little descriptors that tell the story in such elegant detail that it feels like a movie playing in your mind, “I’ve been watching you / Moving reckless like a bull inside a china shop my dear.” The intimate production brings you deeper into his world, offering no distractions from the story he is telling all whilst his luscious vocal takes you by the hand and guides you through his emotional journey. Keep an eye on this Londoner.