Yonas Campbell’s latest release Another Side of Paradise was the Hampshire-based musician’s attempt at creating an album full of great songs. That is Campbell’s goal. He strives to emulate what other iconic artists have accomplished. It’s about more than creating novelty hit songs and achieving fame. It’s an admirable mission. Some artists want Instagram followers. Others want a legacy.
The four-song EP opens with the title track “Another Side of Paradise.” I’m immediately hooked by the nostalgic acoustic guitar chord progression and tender vocals. I’m reminded of Neutral Milk Hotel, Paulo Nutini, and other ‘00s musicians which had that captivating, catchy rock-pop feel. A light spattering of percussion and what sounds like distant synth bells, perhaps, created a warm and layered feel to this track. It is carried by the soothing, atmospheric vocals and acoustic guitar, but these additional elements help to give it depth. It has an ethereal quality to it. It certainly sounds like much more than a man and his guitar. To put it simply, this song is beautiful. And the gorgeous sounds don’t stop there. “Denim Blue” is another dreamy, catchy indie-pop tune. The acoustic singer/songwriter aesthetic has not changed, but I noticed that different instrumentation was gifted the spotlight on this song. In particular, I loved the bass guitar. Its muted yet powerful presence gave the song a warm quality. Again, it gave this pretty acoustic song an added layer of complexity, as did the slightly-distorted electric guitar which rang in the distance during the climax of the track. Another beautiful song. That’s two out of two. This trend continues on the third track. “A Sun Shines On” is driven by glorious synth bells, a reverberating synth line and acoustic guitar. Campbell’s vocals are more delicate than ever on this track, as he sings of a special someone in his dreams and bells ding somewhere deep in the thick fog of this misty, mystic ballad. This psychedelic tune showed a different side to an artist who had already proved his artistry on the initial two tracks. Three out of three sublime songs. What does the final track have to offer, I wonder? More beauty. Campbell displays his musical prowess one last time on the closing track, “Baker Street.” I’m greeted yet again by a stupendous acoustic melody. This time the guitar is met by piano instrumentation. This marrying of instrumentation is as well-crafted as ever. It’s truly stunning. Campbell sings of a simpler time, as if it had needed anything more to add to its already-nostalgic feel. I’m transported to another dimension by his spectacular vocals. Towards the end of the track, swelling synths catapult this breathtaking ballad beyond the stratosphere. In the closing moments of the album, the instrumentation drops away, revealing nothing but Campbell’s wonderful voice and acoustic guitar. We have come full circle. At the end of the day, this is a man who knows how to write beautiful ballads on his guitar. He simply shows off by throwing fantastic production and additional instrumentation into the mix. I’ve run out of adjectives to describe how much I loved this EP.
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