Jon McLeod – The Valuable Single (2021)
Jon McLeod is tapping into some lo-fi vibes with The Valuable Single. The two-track release was recorded at home capturing the emotional response we all had to lockdown and the heavy weight of isolation. A blend of folk and blues with his own personal twist, the tracks are a taster for his upcoming album offering observations and emotional responses to the world at large.
While McLeod has written, recorded and performed with different projects over the years, his solo music was primarily released under the moniker The Focussed Distraction. As he takes a more acoustic turn, he is developing his sound under his own name. With these two tracks acting as a taster, they truly whet the appetite for what is to come.
The acoustic guitar opening of ‘Valuable’ has a raw and vulnerable feeling to it. There is a great lo-fi vibe to this track that has an unrefined edge making it more honest and authentic. McLeod’s vocals are a husky whisper against the instrumentation. This creates a sense of whispers late at night when vulnerabilities and emotions are shared in the dark. The vibes of the single lets you sit back and relax as the easy flow washes over you. The light crackle at the start and finish adds a vinyl feel to the music which is wonderful.
‘Static Air’ feels more polished compared to ‘Valuable’, but the vocals retain the husky whisper. There is a rich string line that breathes in the background of the track that makes you breathe deeply with it. While the vocals are still wisps in the soundscape, there is a much airer feeling to them on this track. The soundscape is a bit hazier like those moments between being awake and asleep where you float on a warm haze. This creates an intimate feeling to the music that closes in on you.
Jon McLeod takes a lo-fi acoustic turn for the dual single release A Valuable Single. While the two singles share husky whispered vocals and lo-fi vibes, the feelings they invoke are quite different. ‘Valuable’ is a perfect picture of lo-fi complete with an artful crackle in the soundscape while ‘Static Air’ has polished instrumentation as you float on a hazy warmth.
Find out more about Jon McLeod on his Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.
