In our ears today at the Send Me Your Ears studio is singer and multi-instrumentalist, CloudyaH, from Vienna, Austria. Her debut single, Slowly Lets Go, is out now on all platforms.
Slowly Lets Go is a gentle reminder to take things at your own pace. We love how Slowly Lets Go tells a story; “slowly lets go of the joyless events of the past” and “the war in her head”. It’s a song of healing and putting your own needs first for a change.
Slowly Lets Go has a beautiful 6/8 feel to it. You feel you could comfortably sway around the room to this song whilst just letting the lovely distant guitars wash over you.
The vocals are close and intimate. They sit from and centre and let you know that, although the musicianship is sublime, it is the vocals and their message that you are to pay attention to.
There’s some glorious incidental violin work with long bowed notes which changes to pizzicato in the second verse. A very very gentle shaker comes in in the second verse as well and it’s always nice to hear some variation in that all important second verse. CloudyaH lets you know, at any given moment, exactly where you are in the song.
The rise and fall throughout the song is extremely well executed without being over-dramatic. It’s very subtle and makes sure that you, the listener, is never jolted into listening, but you’re just swept along.
The thing that appealed to us more than anything was the lovely major change into the chorus. It wasn’t your typical minor to major change (in this case it would have been Cm to Eb). Slowly Lets Go grabs your attention and forces you into a positive way of thinking by using Cm to C. This same technique is used effectively in, for example, While My Guitar Gently Weeps.
The change of tempo in the outtro is a lovely touch too. Almost poetical in meaning as if the vocalist has indeed Let Go.
Production-wise, we’d suggest a slight cut around the 300Hz area to combat just a little muddiness in that area. A little boost around 150Hz will add some extra warmth to the overall track and a wide boost centred around 4kHz will add some extra presence to the overall track, but particularly those gorgeous creamy vocals
CloudyaH is very clearly an accomplished singer and instrumentalist. Slowly Lets Go is an absolute joy to behold. A really unique and contemporary alt-pop/ singer-songwriter track that will undoubtedly find her new fans everywhere.