Track of the Day: Bel Kil – Backup Plan
The brainchild of singer-songwriter Annabel Kilpatrick, the musical project Bel Kil is an intimate expression of life in a beautiful sonic package. Navigating several challenges in her life from changing her career as a visual artist to relearning how to sing after a major bike accident, Kilpatrick has never lost faith and has become a multi-instrumentalist, producer and engineer. A relatively new artist on the scene, Kilpatrick could be lost in the music industry; however, she emerges as one of the more interesting sonic gems in 2022. The latest addition to her discography is the single ‘Backup Plan’.
Following her well-received debut single ‘Escaping’, ‘Backup Plan’ shows an evolution in her sound. Whereas ‘Escaping’ focuses on fulfilling new dreams in a new life, ‘Backup Plan’ draws inspiration from disappointment and frustration. To be more specific, the track was borne when Kilpatrick was stood up by a friend she was meeting – something we have all experienced at some point. She explains that she was “…walking home from the studio on a balmy Friday afternoon, excited to have a beer with a friend only to receive a text saying he couldn’t make it. I can remember feeling let down and then when I walked past the pub we were meant to meet at, I started singing voice memos into my phone.”
While ‘Escaping’ has a more joyful, upbeat tempo, ‘Backup Plan’ focuses more on guitar and bass tones allowing Kilpatrick to extend her production beyond an electronic style. A melodic combination of modern-day soul with rock-inspired infusion, there is a heaviness to the song that really tugs on your heartstrings. Obscure, eclectic and tender, you truly feel the frustration and melancholy that inspired the track.
One of my favourite elements of ‘Backup Plan’ has to be Kilpatrick’s vocals. I would say she lies somewhere between Norah Jones and Florence Welch (Florence and the Machine) with its obscurity; however, the warm richness woven through her dulcet tones makes the obscurity more distinctive. In my opinion, the beauty and artistic musicality of Bel Kil far surpasses many musicians established and unknown.
For more from Bel Kil check out her Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.
