A.B. Violet – Only Need Me (2021)
Habits are very easy to fall into but the issue is that they are not always good for us, particularly when the bad habit relates to a relationship. Fortunately, many of us come to the realisation that we have these bad habits and decide to break free. These moments have been captured by A.B. Violet in her single ‘Only Need Me’. Through the single, she wraps her sound around the realisation that you are losing parts of yourself to these habits and the swell of empowerment that comes with the decision to change.
While working with some mellow vibes, she brings a rising tide of emotion to our ears. As a debut single, she is really staking her claim to a sound that mixes synths with authentic lo-fi and dream pop sensibilities. After studying a music research degree, she has been stuck in an unrelated day job but is now breaking away to unleash her creativity on the world.
‘Only Need Me’ uses a rich opening line that feels like an endless expanse of water with the barest of ripples over it. These ripples increase with the deep beat that rises from the depths of the dark waters. There is a really interesting mixture of almost ambient synths and those deep beats. The interplay between these two melodic layers creates a soundscape that has you floating in it but also pulling you in different directions. It is an amazing sonic representation of the way bad habits tug at you while you try to go about your life. As the song progresses, the synth layer gains traction and starts a light swell of peaceful and liberating vibes which really lifts your spirit and eases any pressure you have on your chest.
Through all of this, Violet’s vocals dance across the waters of the melody like a light mist or fog. There is a somewhat meditative feeling to the flow of her vocals that slinks into your senses and mesmerises you. Through her performance, you feel some of the negativity of the world slid off your shoulders leaving you feeling freer. The lyrics twirl with self-doubt and the bad things that others say only to rise above and help you accept yourself in order to find your own happiness.
A.B. Violet dances through your senses with ripples of dream-pop meeting uplifting and accepting vocals in ‘Only Need Me’. The melody is a light touch on your cheek while her vocal performance helps you shrug off negativity and embrace who you are. By the end of the single, you will feel lighter and able to move forward to find your own happiness.
Find out more about A.B. Violet on her Instagram and Spotify.
