Trevor James Tillery – Possessor (2020)
Trevor James Tillery is a Nashville-based artist who has released a series of singles this year. His third single of the year, ‘Possessor’ has just dropped. Produced in his home studio, the song is a personal one that looks at a delicate time of Tillery’s life.
He wrote the song when he was in a dark place as he struggled with his identity and trying to detach it from his music. The intricate relationship between his music and identity is carefully woven in this icy and atmospheric track. Taking some inspiration from Bjork and the shoegaze scene, he creates a sonically amazing single.
‘Possessor’ uses bubbling and atmospheric synths to draw you into the dark vibe of the track. There are these slight distortions that add an icy vibe to the melody. It is also like the notes are echoing in an icy cave. The downtempo melody could be heavy were it not for the high piercing notes that race in the background. There is a change in the melody as you get more guitars than dark synths as the song goes through a cinematic build-up. The melody is packed full of layers that give way to each other to represent the struggles in the track.
While the melody does a lot of work on this track, Tillery’s vocals add that anchoring and defining element. His performance starts as a solid anchor for the synths, but the use of his falsetto brings a whole new element to the song. His high notes send a chill through you and are a perfect vehicle for the lyrics. The movement of his performance also adds to the icy vibe of the song.
Trevor James Tillery uses synths and his amazing vocals for the sonic mastery that is ‘Possessor’. While the track deals with some deep introspection and dark struggles, the music is haunting in its icy tones. Overall, the track transports you to a different realm and highlights Tillery’s musical ability.
Find out more about Trevor James Tillery on his website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
