Jon Sandman – Selfless Isolation (2020)
Jon Sandman is reflecting on the last year through the tones of the lightly political and deeply personal single ‘Selfless Isolation’. Through his ode to COVID-19, he considers the loneliness many have felt and offers a light rebuke to those responsible for the current state of the world. While he touches on his personal feelings on the matter, there is a lot that everyone can relate with as we have all been through the same experience.
This single takes a folk road which creates a more intimate feeling than his previous single ‘Courage Up’. However, his ability to capture emotions which shone in his last release continues to make itself known in this one. Written and recorded over two days in his bedroom, the arrangement and mastering truly capture everything that the last year has brought.
The gentle rolling guitar of ‘Selfless Isolation’ has you floating on the babbling brook of the melody. This guitar flow continues through the single and offers an intimate feeling. When the drums bound into the melody, they create a swell that only enhances the intimacy of the track. A stripped-back melody, it does more to encapsulate the feelings of the last year than any large production could hope to achieve. Through the artful arrangement of the track, Sandman has you feeling the isolation of lockdown while slinging a companionable arm around your shoulders to marvel at everything that has happened.
The camaraderie of the single is bolstered by Sandman’s vocals which rumble and melodically flow across the melody. There are vocal harmonisations that create a single voice of the masses against those who are responsible for the situation we now find ourselves in. While he calls out the steps they have taken, the light rebuke lacks in-your-face aggression yet hits much harder than you first imagine. There is a lot in the lyrics that you can easily connect with regardless of your feelings about the pandemic.
Jon Sandman captures the full range of emotions we have all felt over the last year through the reflective and lightly rebuking single ‘Selfless Isolation’. With a stripped back melody, Sandman portrays an intimacy and camaraderie while the lyrics reflect on what has passed. His vocals have a gentle flow that hits harder than any aggression ever could as he brings the weariness we have all felt to sonic life.
Find out more about Jon Sandman on his website, Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.
