Canadian indie folk singer-songwriter Chris Sol is a new discovery of mine, and one I’m very happy to have stumbled across! His music has elements of both the modern and traditional folk genres, bridging the gap perfectly to make something that is entirely his own. His EP, Sugar & Smoke, was released at the start of October, and it really deserves a listen!
By Jane Howkins
Rumours starts the EP off, with a simplistic guitar melody introducing the listener to Chris’ world. A strummed rhythm and some pretty piano notes are added later on, giving the music more depth. The production quality sounds fantastic, with Chris’ emotive vocals seeming very clear throughout, whilst still allowing the music to stand out on its own. What sounds like a double bass or a cello appears towards the end in the background, making it sound even more beautiful.
Comin’ Home opens with a strummed acoustic guitar melody, with some little electric motifs branching off every so often giving the track a slightly different feel to the previous one. The bluesy guitar licks add a nice contrast to the folky acoustic melodies, which also create a rhythm of sorts within the track. Chris uses his vocals to fantastic effect here, as some gorgeous backing vocals add a nice echo in the background.
Austin, TX features a lovely, fingerpicked guitar melody, creating a textural flowing quality within the music. The backing effects are increased here, sounding very unique, adding a different flavour to the music. Chris’ vocals go much higher than normal on the chorus, showing a great depth of range to his voice. Percussion is introduced in the form of clapping, making for a distinctive rhythm that is unlike anything I’ve ever heard before!
Sometimes brings the tempo down a little more, featuring several guitar melodies playing over each other, creating several layers of beauty. You can really feel the emotion in Chris’s voice as he sings, with every lyric sounding more heartfelt than the last. This was one of my favourite songs on the entire EP due to this, finding myself unable to stop listening to it!
Astronomers closes things off nicely, reminding me somewhat of the first track, Rumours, due to the slow nature of the piece. Little guitar melodies run through the song, but it’s Chris’s vocals that are the mainstay of the track, elevated above the music. His voice seems a little lower at first, bringing a huge amount of emotion to the track. The song picks up a little more towards the end, with Chris’ vocal range expanding greatly, making my heart break whilst listening to this melancholy tune.
Chris Sol is an amazing singer-songwriter and musician – Sugar & Smoke is an EP he should be proud of, as it’s a fantastic achievement. If you like folk music on any sort, then give this a whirl, as it won’t disappoint!
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