LÓN – Hold On (2022)
Icelandic trio LÓN are exploring their folk roots and reminiscing about being young and carefree with ‘Hold On’. The single evokes the youthful freedom of driving around without a destination in mind with your friends, and who you can now look back fondly on memories with. Mesmerising and melodic, the single sets the tone for what is to come as it works as a taster for the band’s upcoming album Thankfully Distracted.
Drawing on decades worth of experience in the music industry, the trio have carefully crafted a new sound that offers the feeling of a safe space. Taking the opportunity afforded to them by the 2020 lockdown in Iceland, Valdimar Guðmundsson, Ásgeir Aðalsteinsson and Ómar Guðjónsson moved away from the rock sounds they are known for and made music without a plan or agenda. While better known for the successful band Valdimar and adhd, the trio have created something new and wonderful.
The beautiful Americana style tones of the guitar that open ‘Hold On’ instantly draw you into the intimate feeling of the single. There is something about that guitar line that lifts the pressure that rests on your chest and lets you breathe easier. As the two guitars join they create this wonderfully soft flow that you relax back into. The melody is stripped-back allowing you to feel the happiness of youthful memories and not worry about anything. It is like you are sitting on the edge of the lake where the band created the single and letting the purity of nature flow through you taking away all negative emotion. It is a stunning and beautiful melody that you are not going to be able to get enough of.
While the melody has you relaxing and breathing easily, Guðmundsson’s vocals take the intimate feeling of the single to a whole new level. Through his performance, he wraps an arm around your shoulders and pulls you close. The folky flow of his voice is as soothing as the melody and makes you smile as you fall into the memories he invokes. While you might not have experienced the same things, there is an easiness to the reminiscence that puts a smile on your face and makes you think about your own happy memories. The harmonisation of the chorus has a wonderful depth as the trio combines their voices to take the performance to new heights.
LÓN relax every muscle in your body while making you smile as they reminisce about a carefree youth in ‘Hold On’. There is an intimacy to the melody that is picked up by the vocals as they close around you like a warm blanket or friendly arm. The single comes together for a stunning acoustic folk listening experience that you will want to have again and again.
Find out more about LÓN on their Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.
