Pio Hartnett – Roses (2022)
We all face times when we feel left behind by others our own age because we are not doing something that they all seem to be doing. This is something that Pio Hartnett picks up on in his single ‘Roses’. A track about being in your twenties and feeling like you should have the great relationship your peers do, it soothes these emotions with the knowledge that you can’t force things.
This extremely important message is brought to sonic life with the help of his friend, violinist Neil Mathers. Packed with truthful conviction, the single blends indie-folk and indie pop for an acoustic wonder. Hartnett’s unique touch of choral vocals and powerful storytelling lyrics lets you know that he is definitely one of those artists that you need to keep an eye and ear on.
‘Roses’ opens with a stripped back folk tone with just the acoustic guitar plucking against the vocals. From the depths, a light sigh washes over the soundscape before the clicking and sparkling tones hit. This adds a head-bopping vibe to the music that livens up the soundscape. Mathers’ vocals tenderly rise and fall with the beats. This dips for the acoustic guitar to roll and lead you back into the lively beats. There are a few subtle changes in the melodic flow of the track that enhance the message of the single. Halfway through the single, a jangling beat brings a carefree energy that lets you know things will happen in their own time.
The easy dynamics of the melody are only topped by the vocals that flow into your ears with a youthful touch. Through the stripped-back opening, his vocals have a melancholic edge as he feels he should have the wonderful relationship that those around him have. This turns into a contemplation over whether forcing the matter would do more harm than good. The choral backing vocals add this delightful depth to the sound and cushion his folky vocals for the move to living life without expectations. His voice has this ability to put a smile on your face without any effort while you bop around to his sound.
Pio Hartnett pulls you in with stripped-back acoustic tones, only to swing you into a bopping folk melody that shines with youthful energy in ‘Roses’. The melody has subtle changes to the flow that increases the brightness of the sound while easing your worries. His vocals carry a delightful honesty as they work through concerns and provide the knowledge that things can’t be forced, and happen at their own pace.
Find out more about Pio Hartnett on his Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
