Pink Films – From the Top Floor (2022)
Written over the course of two years, From the Top Floor is an exploration of love, loss and tributes by Pink Films. Inspired by what was happening in the world and to him at the time, the tracks cover being true to yourself, to losing someone or something very dear to you. Tapping into experiences and emotions we can all relate to, he weaves a dream pop softness into indie rock sensibilities.
A relative newcomer to the musical world, Adam Hailstone, the man behind the music only started doing music on his own when he started creating this EP. Recording everything himself in his flat in Brighton, he brings a personal and authentic touch to his sound. An immersive collection of tracks, the EP allows you to take a moment out of your life to experience everything he has to offer.
The EP opens with the aptly titled ‘Intro’ which fills the soundscape with dreamy softness. There is a tender touch to the pastel tones of the synths that carefully lift you up and have you drifting through the clouds. This softness is met by a vibrating bass that shivers through your bones in the best possible way. While a change to the opening softness, there is something about these vibrations that retains the gentle caress of the synths. Above the bass, the higher levels of the melody bring a melodic twist that leads you through the last moments. A really short opening track, it sets a tone for what is to come.
‘Turquoise’ has a really rich feeling to the layers of the opening. The guitar slides with the lightest touch of groove and blues against the pastel tones first introduced in the opening track. This moves into a really fantastic flow that gets your head bopping to the sound. The sweep of the music leads you into the vocals that have the lightest touch of blurring to the edges. Hailstone’s vocals are as smooth and soft as the music while getting you hooked to his sound. The lyrics bring beautiful imagery to your brain as he touches on losing someone you care about. There is an introspective feeling to his performance that gently dips into an almost bittersweet pain. The melodic movements of the song are fantastic and bring a sprinkling of different genres that echoes the twists and turns of emotions invoked by the vocals.
A groovier edge hits with the opening of ‘Cherry Stands’ as your feet feel the urge to tap and your head needs to bop to the deep drum. This groovy vibe is given a slight twist as the vocals enter. His performance seems to hover over the melody like a mist that settles around you and pulls you in the direction he wants you to take. The layering of this track is fantastic as Hailstone packs a lot into the track. The melody has multiple layers of sound that ghost across your skin, sink into your soul and draw you endlessly under his musical spell. His vocals echo this layering with the main line a hazy mist, only to be bolstered by a call that seems to shine from beyond the fog.
‘1965’ uses a more organic flow to open with the piano line and the deep beat that seems to mimic a heartbeat. This is another short track that settles your feelings after the last track. The layering that is wonderfully characteristic of this EP slowly builds through this track. The piano is met by the deep beat before a warble of a sigh comes through the higher levels. While short, there is a lot in this track that really showcases the prowess of his musicality. You will be shocked when it ends because it pulls you in so effortlessly.
Following the softness of the last track, the beats that open ‘M.A.D. (Movie’s Almost Done)’ really tap at the back of your brain. They seem to push you into the soundscape that is undeniably groovy in a really soft way. You feel the urge to move in some way to the twang of the soundscape. As the vocals enter, you are drawn into the contemplation of his thoughts. Woven into these thoughts is a swirl of emotion that fills you with a tentative connection, the yearning for more and wanting to get away from everything. Later in the track, there is a moment where everything drops before the music takes a turn. This is a great sonic device that brings an abrupt twist to the emotions of the music and really emphasises what he is saying.
The EP comes to a close with ‘A Trip to Paris’ which crackles and leads you into a new feeling. The opening is quite different to the rest of the EP as it feels like you are stepping out of the fog and into the sunlight. This feeling is fantastic as it links so wonderfully with the message of the track which is all about being yourself. Throughout the single, he brings a growing sense that being yourself and doing what makes you happy is achievable. This growing happiness and sense of self is tempered by the understanding that as you give in to others, you forget some of the things that make you who you are. This has all been woven into a really engaging single that is a fantastic way to bring the EP to an end.
Pink Films showcases his masterful melodic layering while drawing you into authentic experiences and emotions through the tracks of From the Top Floor. The EP is packed with engaging tracks that all touch on a different situation. Each track is unique while carrying something that unifies the whole into a fantastic listening experience.
Find out more about Pink Films on his Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
