North-Carolina musician Reid Pressley has been making music for a few years now – and it’s been time well spent, because he’s developed a totally unique musical voice.
The new single, ‘Im Not Alone’, is a perfect introduction to Reid’s idiosyncratic sound.
The arrangement is like a slow-burning jam – a gently rolling groove, with multi-layered and overlapping vocals that repeat that main refrain – “Im not alone”.
With interesting micro-dynamics, Reid’s vocal sounds almost like a modern Gregorian chant, with a mantra-like momentum. There are slightly dissonant moments that add an extra-eerie, haunted flavour.
The track washes over you as the focus shifts – from guitar to vocals, from claps to flute – in a swirling, dreamy haze. Forget about verses and choruses – this is unconstrained and immersive – like a living stream.
Reid truly is a one-man band – he played all the instruments here and recorded & mixed the track himself. Thankfully, everything sounds great, with crisp clarity and tight precision.
In the final section, most of the vocals drop away, and you can hear that fluid execution – flute and all!
Reid declares ‘Im Not Alone’, but I beg to differ – this song sets him apart from the rest, in the best way.
Written by Grubby
