Cross The Line

Simple instrumentation and consonant melodic resolutions reflect the essence of the song’s message. Nita portrays the soulful indie-pop methodology at its most definable core of features.

Gently building in dynamics and layers of sound, ‘Cross The Line’ is a slow rising crescendo of pleasant harmonies and varied musical elements. Beginning with the repetitive and subtle picked acoustic guitar, providing a simple anchored pitch with a soft moving root note to offer chordal harmony to the lead vocals.

Effected and layered voice is present from the second the track begins. At times thinning out to allow the more explorative phrases of the main melody to speak for themselves, at other times offering a chorale-esque extension to the swaying lyrical delivery. As the piece progresses, we hear new additions to the layered voices adding drones and melismas that push the intensity of the conveyance just slightly more.

The bridge of the work offers the biggest turning point throughout, introducing a higher and more vocal delicate vocal range. Instrumentation is stripped back to the state it began in for a stark contrast.

With a leap, but a soft one, the finale enters bringing fuller percussive performance and a more pushing feel. A synthesized tone flits in the left and right pans unlike any of the sounds we’ve become accustomed to over the last three minutes, but still feeling like a natural evolution from the descending melodies from the electric piano and strings that embellishment the space between the chords.

This more journeying section of the song appropriately serves as its peak, putting further emphasis on the poetic phrasing and instrumental rise without detracting from the tone of the work.

‘Cross The Line’ is gentle respite of a pop track. While all the essential features of its peers are present, none feel cliché or forced. The blend of vocal dominance and simple musicality across the board shows an artist playing to their strengths and successfully realising a work.

Overall rating: 7/10

Pairs well with: Strawhouse Sessions 10 – Rachel Ann

About Nita Chawla

Described as ‘An urban girl with a southern heart and eastern roots…’ Nita played classical piano and sung before taking to songrwriting in her late teens. Crossing modern pop genres, Chawla works with artist/producer Mateo Sol to continue her musical exploration.