“they will have us” by Horatio James is undeniably, wholesomely good. His voice fills his music with an earthiness while his instrumentation and subtle, driving grooves bolster this vibrant catchiness. Horatio has clearly mastered the art of constructing an atmosphere with music.
The song starts off with a muted swath of white noise, some of it slightly musical and some of it sounding more like wailing. The instruments cut in suddenly with a laid-back drum groove and a strumming Bouzouki, a Grecian instrument with a tinny, guitar-like sound. An electric guitar holds a mildly distorted, droning note as the bouzouki outlines a chord structure that, delightfully, has a lot of melodic value as well. Horatio comes in with a satisfying melody, often topped by some tasteful harmonies. All this being said, it’s hard to communicate in words the beauty and genius of the music in even just the first few minutes of this song. Horatio has an ear for what settles well emotionally with the listener.
The chorus comes in with some long, sliding vocals–a rather interesting effect that only adds to the organic, folksy nature of the song. Some higher harmonies drift alongside the soft, melismatic melody. The instrumentation also complements the rhythm of the vocals by mimicking it at times. Everything fits together like a puzzle. The song ebbs and flows in all the right places.
If you’re a lover of folk/rock, you should definitely check out Horatio James. His music has that indescribable quality that makes it decadent, satisfying, and beautiful.
Written by Alyce Lindberg
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