“Memories” by Audreal Gillett is incredibly fun to listen to. The chords feel right. The melodies feel right. The lyrics feel right–but most of all, the production feels not only right but truly exhilarating. This song is the definition of studio audio art.
The song kicks off with little to no intro as Audreal chimes the first few words: “You left a scar / Right on my heart.” The stripped-down instrumentation sounds covered and muted as the melody cascades toward a brighter, clearer verse. Suddenly the vocals are crisp and aimlessly surrounded by reverb-y, echoing background vocals. Some of the phrases feel like a call and response, but others overlap with the lead in an indiscernible way. It pulls the listener out of the traditional, clean-cut pop mindset and makes them actively listen.
The second half of the verse becomes more rhythmic, employing some casual shaker sounds and a kick. The pre-chorus sports a rapidly arpeggiating synth that propels it straight into a drum-centric chorus. If this feels a bit rushed, it’s because attempting to describe the unique identity of each section of this song would take ages. Every few measures, the production or arrangement takes an unexpected turn–whether it involves the addition or subtraction of an instrument, a metrical change, or a new collection of effects, the producer pulls out all the stops. It’s attention-grabbing, but first and foremost it’s artistic. Everything about this song is expertly crafted and well thought out.
If this sounds appealing to you (as it should), make a beeline straight to Audreal Gillett’s Spotify page. They’ve got way more where that came from, and all of it is just as creative.
Written by Alyce Lindberg
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