Josh Long – Last June (2022)
When we look back on relationships or moments in our lives, we often do so through rose-tinted lenses, remembering them as better than they actually were. This is something that Josh Long has woven into his single ‘Last June’ as he considers the romanticisation of a past relationship or moment in life. Packed with longing to return to the time, there is a subtle acknowledgement that even if you can, things will not be as good as you remember them to be.
Following on from his EP Shooting Star, he takes the indie pop and disco tones of the release to a new level with this track. The emotional maturity of the single showcases a depth of wisdom that belies Long’s young years. His songwriting journey started in high school as part of an English project and led to a solo acoustic show in his hometown. Now, he is sharing his insights into the world with all of us.
The progressive strummed guitar opening of ‘Last June’ swings into the electronic tones of the main melodic line. There is a retro and nostalgic vibe to the music that has you easily falling into the memories of the vocals. The groovy beat gets your feet tapping to the rhythm while your head bops along. You can feel the touch of disco weaving its way into your muscles and getting them moving to the music. The deep pulses of the beats through the chorus push the message of the track home as your get down to the rhythm. The guitar bridge later in the track is a great inclusion that brings you into a short instrumental section of the single, before tossing you back into the retro tones.
While the music vibrates its nostalgic way through your muscles, the vocals bring an interesting merger of electronic edges and emotions. Long’s vocals have a slightly reflective tone to them as he considers remembering a past relationship. This turns into a contemplation of the present and the emotions the rose-tint of romanticising the past brings. His performance acknowledges the present situation, while still filling you with a yearning for the past when things in the relationship were great. It is a wonderful mixture of emotions that most people can relate to as they have felt it at some point.
Josh Long gets you dancing to his blend of disco and pop while he considers yearning for a romanticised past in ‘Last June’. The music is packed with nostalgia and retro disco tones that make you want to move to their rhythm. His performance has a touch of yearning, mixed into the acknowledgement that we often look back through rose-tinted lenses.
Find out more about Josh Long on his website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
