Matt Gombau – Breathe (2022)
We all have projects and ideas that never see the light of day. Matt Gombau reflects on these projects while also looking at the urge to escape from society to refocus on yourself in ‘Breathe’. The layered messaging of the single is easy to connect with and relate to as we have all felt the emotions woven into the music at some point.
Collaborating with musicians and producer Mathieu Grillo, they merge dream-pop flows with indie-folk sensibilities for the reflection of the single. While they are good friends, this is the first single they have collaborated on with Gombau providing the guitar and vocals to Grillo’s synth, bass and drums. The duo met at Grillo’s studio to work on a different song and by the end of the session, they had the first structures of this release.
The acoustic guitar that opens ‘Breathe’ gently leads you into the soft hum of the vocals. The drums rise from beneath your feet to shiver through your muscles with an earthy movement. The layering of the guitar and drums is beautiful before it drops to a whisper. The music rises with a great inhale for the chorus that brings a blast of fresh air to your brain. There is a wonderful feeling to the music that settles something deep in your soul you never knew was becoming jagged. As the single progresses, the easy vibes drift through your senses and help you escape from the world for a little while. The earthiness that filled the soundscape at the start gains a twinkle of stars as they come out as the sun sinks beneath the horizon.
While the hum of the backing vocals floats out against the acoustic guitar, Gombau’s vocals bring a folky vibe to the track. His voice has a companionable feeling to it, like a friend telling you what they are thinking. He has packed so much emotion into the track that you can almost touch it. He fills the lyrics with the urge to escape and the need to just breathe a little. Through his performance, he takes you on a walk through a peaceful wood that lets you forget about your responsibilities for a while. As you escape, he also plucks at the dreams and projects that never seem to go anywhere.
Matt Gombau takes you on a beautifully calming walk through the layered folk tones of ‘Breathe’ as he offers a moment of escape from the world. The music shivers through your body as it settles over the jagged edges of your soul. His vocals have a companionable vibe to them as they grab the urge to escape reality, while considering the projects and dreams that never see the light of day.
Find out more about Matt Gombau on his Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.
