Jake Stopar – It’s So Easy (to fall in love) (2021)
Nodding to the synth-laden style of the 1980s, Jake Stopar grabs you by the hand and takes you through a wave of hushed haziness. His music may include hushed tones, but his merging of contemporary alt-pop, post-punk and retro-pop are outstanding. Hailing from the windy city, Chicago-based Stopar began making waves on the music scene last year and continues to blast through your stereo in 2021. Featured on IndieWavves, Chicago Soundcheck, Gas Mask Magazine and several online radio stations (including iHeart Radio), Stopar is reaching audiences on an international level.
One aspect of Jake Stopar’s music that I truly enjoy is not knowing what you are going to hear. From his soulful psych-rock single ‘Margaritas’ (read our review here) to the smoky hip-hop meets pop ‘One Day At A Time (Baby), it is impossible to tell what Stopar has up his sleeve. Continuing with his evolution of sound, Stopar presents a smooth, silky and somewhat sultry melody with ‘It’s So Easy (to fall in love)’.
Combining the mellowness of Depeche Mode with the synth-laden obscurity of The Cure, Jake Stopar pushes you into a hazy whirlpool of sound with his latest release. Beautifully layered, the synth-driven style is interwoven with rock-influenced instrumentation bringing a Joy Division-esque hardness to the track. Yet, while there is an anchor amidst the cloudy swirl in powerful guitar riffs, Stopar enhances the “fuzziness” with his sultry vocals. What I find particularly intriguing is how the sonic swoon is an apt representation of falling down that rabbit hole called love.
Melodically, the track has a soothing and smooth quality; however, it is Stopar’s vocals that truly enhance the song’s poignancy. Demonstrating his wide vocal range, ‘It’s So Easy (to fall in love)’ is emotive, moving and soul-stirring. Intricately woven into a kaleidoscopic soundscape, like a shimmering thread within a tapestry, the dulcet tones are sentimental, sincere and brutally honest. Stopar may say it is easy to fall in love, but this song shows you how easy it is to fall in love with him. We’re lost and don’t want to be found.
For more from Jake Stopar, check out his official website, Instagram and Spotify.
