These LITM Singer-Songwriter Picks are all soothing and emotional in their own unique ways; featuring Colourshop, Rosie Belvie, Michael Cohen, and more.
1. Colourshop – Sailing Boat
Exemplifying that songs don’t need complexity to touch your heart, Colourshop’s Sailing Boat is a restrained, acoustic-driven track. It leans towards simplicity, comfort, and optimism, with soft, relaxing acoustic guitar and the lightest of percussion in the background giving the track a rhythm. Its tender lyrics encourage you to go with the flow (“Let the wind go / offer no resistance / let the past go,” he sings) while embracing the beauty of the unknown. Using a sailboat as a metaphor is inspired songwriting – lyrically, it ties in perfectly with giving up control, while the track itself echoes its bobbing feel. The calm and soothing delivery is soothing in every circumstance – give it a listen here!
2. Rosie Belvie – Daddy’s Girl
Rosie Belvie’s Daddy’s Girl is a soulful tribute to her father, expressing her gratitude and love to her family. She acknowledges that she “wouldn’t be where I am without you… No one will love you more than I do,” and the country-tinged track dives deep into her bond with her father. The accompanying music video is a scrapbook-style collection of heartwarming moments between dads and their daughters – from home videos of babies with their dads to daughters dancing with their dads at their weddings. Belvie’s voice is rich, lush, and soars with emotion; it’s sure to have you taking a moment to be grateful to the support system in your life as well.
3. Michael Cohen – Save My Love Tonight
Michael Cohen brings an endearing mix of warmth and sweetness to Save My Love Tonight. Simplistic and straightforward in its lyricism, songwriting, and composition, it’s a mutual promise to take care of and protect the ones you love. The track is reminiscent of the comfort in those suspended moments of love where the world doesn’t seem to matter. It’s arranged with an emphasis on soothing – from the calm piano, relaxed vocal harmonies, and light acoustic guitar, every element of this song is carefully placed with intention and restraint, leading to it embodying an air of elegance that lifts it into a transcendental space.
4. Ste Kelly – Oblivion
“Do we win, do we lose in oblivion? / Can we claim, can we choose our oblivion?”
Ste Kelly opens Oblivion with these hard-hitting questions, forcing you to confront the reality that you may be spending more time, money, and energy focusing on a distant future, rather than being alive for the present. His vocals are urgent and passionate, coaxing you into wanting to take action and seize the day, so to speak. The centrepiece is his voice – the instrumental is in the background, giving his vocals space to shine. Even in the moments you think the song is going to tip over into chaotic energy, it retains restraint, and that’s part of what makes it so special.
5. The Boy Blue – Penny to Drop
Departing from The Boy Blue’s usual sombre mood, Penny to Drop is markedly more upbeat. With a steady percussion driving the track, it’s packed with a sense of empowerment, while still carrying the same themes of lived experience you expect from his music, if you’ve heard it before. He effortlessly carries vulnerability and emotion in his strong and expressive voice, juxtaposing movement with stillness, openness with power. He makes sure not to wrap the song’s meaning up neatly for you – it’s open for you to process and make meaning of. It’s clear that Penny to Drop comes from a deeply personal place, like the rest of his music, and it’s sure to take you to a space of personal reflection as well.
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