Hartshorn Serrano – Retail Reverie (2025)
Already established artists in their own rights, UK-based singer-songwriter Andrew Hartshorn and Spain-based John Serrano draw together their talents as Hartshorn Serrano. Initially meeting online – after discovering and admiring each other’s work – the musicians chose to fuse their skills and create moving melodies for the masses. This is our introduction to Hartshorn Serrano, as it is everyone’s; join us as we delve into their debut collaborative single, ‘Retail Reverie’.
Released on Hartshorn’s independent music label, monochrome motif records, ‘Retail Reverie’ is an exciting new project for the two musicians pivoting from solo to duo, and plans to keep things rolling are in the works. Today, however, we dip our toes into this debut track. An inter-European recording, ‘Retail Reverie’ was created at Hartshorn and Serrano’s home studios in the UK and Spain respectively. The track was mixed by Serrano before heading to Abbey Road Studios for mastering by Sean Magee.
Noting Paul McCartney as one of the influences, ‘Retail Reverie’ tips its hat at the pop sincerity of the Beatles, while daubing some Wings into the mix – a true expression of old-school pop-rock. While the instrumentation is kaleidoscopic with a bold bass, soaring guitars, and a steady drumbeat, the simplicity of a piano and strings makes ‘Retail Reverie’ weighty but also delicate. Add the multi-layered vocals with soothing backing and confident harmonies, and ‘Retail Reverie’ is something gentle, laid-back, and luxuriously chill.
Think of a breath of fresh air on a muggy weekday, and you have ‘Retail Reverie’. Melodically, the single is a refreshing pop-rock burst, but it is the lyricism that enhances its tenderness. Andrew Hartshorn explains:
“Lyrically, ‘Retail Reverie’ is a take on a lonely hearts story with two people having a chance meeting down the supermarket aisle, not acting upon it, regretting it, but… later getting their chance to make things right.”
In addition to the single, Hartshorn Serrano released an official music video for ‘Retail Reverie’. You can view the video below or on John Serrano’s YouTube channel.
Find out more about Hartshorn Serrano on their Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, TikTok and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
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