Washington-based self-proclaimed ‘bedroom indie project’ Halfway Quaker releases his 3rd single this year, ‘Arms’.
Despite the apparent DIY production, this is an accomplished sound. There’s a workmanlike efficiency, and it is made all the more interesting for that, allowing the warmth of the vocal & the melody to speak.
A simple, bending & twisting guitar melody opens the song. The track has a melancholy – a certain sadness that never feels dour or depressing – but alive and soulful.
The bass melts into the background, providing an ever-present glow that keeps the track warm. Joel’s vocal delivers the lyrics with a steady cadence and a low, resonating tone, which adds to the mellow calm.
As the song progresses, the guitar – with its slight country twang – becomes like a distant second vocal, providing beautifully evocative melodies that seem to be conversing with the vocal.
With ‘Arms’, Halfway Quaker has produced an emotional, dreamy sound, and it feels like we’ve spent some time with an old friend.
