Ali Gilbert – Neon Paradise (2022)
Influenced by the likes of Ed Sheeran, Justin Timberlake, Sam Fender, James Morrison and Paolo Nutini, one can imagine that singer-songwriter Ali Gilbert has a bit of a bounce to his music. Drawing together elements of pop and indie-folk, Gilbert has built a loyal following with his festival performances, radio airtime, playlist adds and press features. A self-taught artist, Gilbert has been performing since the age of 18 and released his successful debut EP Truth Be Told in his 20s. The latest addition to his acclaimed discography is the single ‘Neon Paradise’.
Known for his personal, intimate and provocative songs, Gilbert aims to share life experiences with his audiences in the hope that this catharsis will connect with others. Unlike his previous releases that fall into an indie-folk genre, ‘Neon Paradise’ is an upbeat pop track with chilled vibes interwoven into the melodic arrangement. Using more synth-inspired backing, ‘Neon Paradise’ is a complete breakaway from his folk songs like ‘Run By The River’. Personally, I feel this is a clear indication of Gilbert’s natural innovation as an artist.
A summer pop banger if ever I heard one, ‘Neon Paradise’ is an enigmatic kaleidoscopic track with well-textured layers in the soundscape. In fact, the melody elegantly expresses the theme behind the song bringing the craziness of Gilbert’s dreams into a sonic bubble. The UK-based artist explains that ‘Neon Paradise’ was “written about a vivid dream in which I was randomly walking around my local city and surrounded by all kinds of animals, people and notably gigantic different coloured butterflies. It was like half city, half jungle, and a weird purple sky as if I was in some kind of parallel universe that I didn’t want to wake up from…”
They say dreams are merely expressions of our unconscious thoughts and based on that dream, Gilbert has some amazing thoughts knocking about at the back of his head. A smile-inducing, laidback and tender song, I would highly recommend Ali Gilbert to anyone.
For more from Ali Gilbert check his Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
