New release…Molly.

A radio pop song with indie soul and a surprising compositional depth. Grow checks all the boxes for contemporary pop but maintains a genuinely musical approach to the performative clichés that surround it.

Grow

Complex modulated pads hold the bulk of the harmonic content. Making a filled background of chordal quality that avoids intruding on the vocal lead. The rhythmic phrasings found in the lead vocal section is intermittently joined by layered backing vocals. This serves to spread the harmonic responsibility across the instrumentation and enhancing the exploration of the role of voice in the track.

A following section provides a more dynamically engaging variation of the same formula. Maintaining the sparse mix but evolving the present tones. A pulsating arpeggiation combined with a gently thumping kick now drives the rhythm. Buried and muddied with reverb, higher octaves of descending diatonic play can be heard.

This kind of subtle progression with precise instrumental variation is a constant theme in the track. The main body of the work is made by recurring effected vocals and fuller sounding percussive elements. The overall drive and depth of the song is further engaged without abandoning the delicate motif that presents the first half.

The track ends with a call back to the gentler, more fragile instrumentation of the opening bars and ends almost abruptly. This sets up perfectly a follow up track and will flow perfectly in its album context.

Grow Sets up and executes its own formula. A blend of earnest fragility and a sense of growth lend themselves to its transmission and depth.

Overall rating: 8/10

Pairs well with: I Never Learn – Lykke Li

About Molly.

Already cherished by BBC Introducing Lancashire and Amazing Radio, Molly. cleverly highlights all-too-poignant facts about modern society on ‘Empire’, furthering her achievements with previous track and looking towards a continuing rise for the Lancashire-born artist.