Midnight Jaguar – Baby Blue (2021)
Through the four tracks of his EP Baby Blue, Midnight Jaguar is taking listeners on a journey of relationships and self-growth. From reflections on past relationships to learning to accept things as the way they are, he fills each sound with a sense of understanding. The relatable subjects and heartfelt delivery, make the EP easy to connect with and really has you thinking about things in your life.
While Connor Burnett, the man behind the moniker, is a solo artist, he has help on this EP from Liam Barr Jones and James Thorrington. Inspired by the music he loves to listen to, Burnett brings a mixture of folk, country, pop and rock to our ears. This blend has been masterfully handled to create an EP that you can fall into.
The EP opens with ‘Adjacency’ which is the first track to consider relationships and finding someone you feel in tune with. The melody has a serious country edge to it while the vocals are a little dreamier. They combine to create a soft track that covers you with the warmth of a summer’s day spent with someone you care for. The easy flow of the single perfectly captures the feeling you have when you are with someone you don’t have to explain yourself to and can just enjoy their presence. This is a wonderful opening to the EP that relaxes you into his sound.
‘Country Swing’ grabs your attention with the deep beat that gives way to a lilting melodic movement. There is a heavier feeling to this track that complements the sombre and melancholic lyrics. The movement of the track is reflective and sad as the lyrics delve into a relationship where you are treated badly. Burnett really reaches into your chest and squeezes with this song as drops you into toxic situations that only seem to come out in reflection. His vocals are so emotive on this track, particularly close to the end when in infuses so much pain into his performance.
After the sadness and pain of the last track, ‘Freedom’ hits you with a rather upbeat vibe. There is a light and bright energy to the melody that shuffles through you and gets you swaying to it. The almost breathy vocals have a freeing feeling to them like the problems of life can’t hold you down. This is the perfect pick up after the last track and helps you find who you are as a person. Woven into this finding of self is the easy vibes of the first track that let you relax into the presence of someone you care for.
The EP comes to a close with ‘Poetry Is For The Long Run’ that mixes folk and delightful horns. As you listen to the opening, you will feel a smile tugging at the edges of your mouth hanging onto the threads of the horns. The lyrics temper what others say with what you should do to feel at peace with who you are. This is something that most of us can relate to as we are confronted with opinions all the tie. Through all of this, the uplifting feeling of the melody and vocals lead you to a sense of acceptance of how things are.
Midnight Jaguar has you mired in toxic situations before lifting you up to float on an air of acceptance in his EP Baby Blue. Each track has a completely different vibe from easy affection to bone-deep pain and the freeing feeling of letting go. The changes and movement of the EP showcase the musicality of Connor Burnett while touching something personal for each listener.
Find out more about Midnight Jaguar on his Instagram and Spotify.
